In a remarkable display of bowling, Sri Lanka's captain Chamari Athapaththu achieved a historic milestone by taking seven wickets in just 21 balls during the Women's Asia Cup match against Indonesia in Dubai on Thursday. This impressive performance not only secured a 75-run victory for Sri Lanka but also propelled them to the top of Group B in the tournament.
Sri Lanka, the defending champions, set a target of 125 runs on a pitch that proved challenging for batting. Athapaththu's extraordinary bowling spell turned the tide of the match as she entered the bowling attack in the fourth over. She quickly made her mark, claiming wickets with her fourth, seventh, and eighth deliveries. Although she narrowly missed out on a hat-trick during that over, she achieved the feat later by taking three wickets in consecutive balls across two overs.
Athapaththu's final figures of 7 wickets for just 5 runs made her the first bowler from a Full Member nation to achieve seven wickets in a women's T20 International. The previous record for the best bowling figures in women's T20Is was held by Zimbabwe's Esther Mbofana, who took 6 wickets for 11 runs against Eswatini in 2021.
Indonesia struggled throughout their innings, ultimately being bowled out for a mere 49 runs. Rahmawati Pangestuti was the top scorer for the Indonesian team with 10 runs, while Ni Made Putri Suwandewi remained not out at 12. The rest of the batting lineup failed to reach double figures, showcasing the dominance of Sri Lanka's bowling attack.
Prior to Athapaththu's bowling heroics, Sri Lanka found themselves in a precarious position at 62 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. However, Nilakshika Silva's crucial half-century, scoring 50 runs off 35 balls, helped stabilize the innings and guide the team to a total of 124 runs for 7 wickets.
For Indonesia, Ni Luh Dewi was the standout bowler, taking 3 wickets for 32 runs, but her efforts were not enough to prevent a comprehensive defeat. With this victory, Sri Lanka's position at the top of Group B is solidified, giving them a strong advantage as they progress through the Women's Asia Cup.
In the broader context of the tournament, India leads Group A, with Pakistan following closely behind. Notably, India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana also made headlines during a Group A match, surpassing Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket across all formats. This underscores the competitive nature of the Women's Asia Cup as teams vie for supremacy on the international stage.
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