Thunder’s Litchfield and Athapaththu Shine, Sixers Suffer Consecutive Losses in WBBL 2023

Phoebe Litchfield and Chamari Athapaththu lead Sydney Thunder to victory against Sydney Sixers in WBBL 2023 with dominant performances.

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Sydney Thunder’s Phoebe Litchfield and Chamari Athapaththu showcased stellar performances, guiding their team to a convincing win over Sydney Sixers in the Women’s Big Bash League 2023, securing their opening victory by a 42-run margin at North Sydney Stadium on Sunday.

In the opening innings, Chamari Athapaththu and Tahila Wilson set the tone with a formidable 98-run partnership, placing immense pressure on the Sixers. Athapaththu reached her half-century in 34 balls, reminiscent of her career-best T20 score of 113 in 2019. She substituted for the unwell Marizanne Kapp, who was yet to recover from an illness contracted in South Africa.

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Following Athapaththu’s stellar performance, the left-handed Phoebe Litchfield continued the momentum, crafting an unbeaten 54 runs from just 28 deliveries, propelling her team to a total of 190/5 after the allotted 20 overs.

With Alysa Healy absent, the responsibility fell on the experienced Elyse Perry, who initiated her innings with 31 runs off 16 deliveries, including six fours and a six, before being dismissed by Heather Knight. Ultimately, the Thunder’s bowlers, by consistently taking wickets, exerted control, securing a 42-run victory.

Chamari Athapaththu emerged as the standout performer, complementing her half-century with a bowling display of 3-20 from her four overs. Heather Knight also contributed significantly with 3-27 from her four overs.