Asian Champions Sri Lanka went from heroes to zeros losing all four qualifying round matches in the Women’s T20 World Cup while being outplayed in the last match by an imposing New Zealand team at Sharjah in the UAE yesterday.
Sri Lanka lost to both Asian teams India and Pakistan, was demolished by defending champions Australia and the revitalized New Zealand women had the final say with a rousing eight wicket win with 15 balls to spare.
The New Zealand pair of Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer gave their team the ideal start and platform with a stand of 49 runs in 7.3 overs as they set about chasing down a target of 116 set by Sri Lanka who opted to bat first after winning the toss.
Plimmer batted with supremacy using her feet beautifully to the Sri Lankan spinners playing some straight shots as she clouted 53 in 44 balls with four fours.
The charismatic Sophie Devine finished the match with a six off Sugandika Kumari after replacing Plimmer while her partner Amelia Kerr ensured victory without any hiccups with an unbeaten 34 from 31 balls.
The Sri Lankans went into the championship with high hopes of making it to the semi finals after pocketing the Asia Cup and being financially rewarded by Sri Lanka Cricket which lavishly doled out a whopping Rs.150 million to the team.
The highest individual contribution in the entire four matches was 35 made by Chamari Atapattu who had a miserable World Cup by making scores of 6, 3 and 1 in the first three games while her opening partner Vishmi Gunaratne had two ducks with her overall aggregate being 28 in the four matches.
The other frontline batter Harshitha Samarawickrema aggregate only 51 runs in the four matches with a highest being 23.
Scores:
Sri Lanka Women: 115/5 in 20 overs (Chamari Atapattu 35, Harshitha Samarawickrama 18, Kavisha Dilhari 10, Nilakshika Silva 14 n.o. Ama Kanchana 10 n.o. Leigh Kasperek 2/27, Amelia Kerr 2/13)
New Zealand Women: 118 for 2 in 17.3 overs (Suzie Bates 17, Georgia Plimmer 53, Amelia Kerr 34 n.o, Sophie Devine 13 n.o. Sachini Nisansala 1/24, Chamari Atapattu 1/8)
