Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, etched her name in the record books on Monday by becoming the first batter ever to score a century in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup. The southpaw unleashed a breathtaking display of power hitting against Malaysia at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
A Knock for the Ages
Athapaththu’s unbeaten knock of 119 runs came off just 69 balls, translating to a staggering strike rate of 172.46. The experienced left-hander treated the Malaysian bowlers with disdain, clearing the ropes seven times and finding the boundary a further 14 times. This aggressive knock not only secured Sri Lanka a strong position but also saw Athapaththu rewrite the record books.
Women’s T20 Asia Cup Surpassing Milestones
Her century eclipsed the previous record held by the legendary Mithali Raj, who scored an unbeaten 97 against Malaysia in the 2018 edition. This feat also cemented Athapaththu’s place as the batter with the most centuries in women’s T20 Internationals. The 34-year-old reached the landmark in style, dispatching a length ball from Alsya Eleesa for a six in the 19th over, sending the Sri Lankan dugout into a frenzy.
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Building a Strong Platform
Athapaththu wasn’t alone in Sri Lanka’s dominant batting performance. Anushka Sanjeewani provided valuable support with a 31-run knock of just 24 balls. The pair stitched together a crucial 105-run partnership for the third wicket laying the foundation for a mammoth total. Further contributions from Harshitha Madavi 26 ensured Sri Lanka posted a daunting target of 184 runs for Malaysia to chase in Women’s T20 Asia Cup.
Dominant Start for Sri Lanka
This victory against Malaysia comes on the back of a convincing seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in their opening match of the tournament. With two convincing wins in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup under their belt Sri Lanka seems to be in a good rhythm and their opponents will need to be at their absolute best to challenge them.