Sports
Sri Lanka finish fifth in Women’s World Cup, secure USD 700,000 prize money
Sri Lanka finished an impressive fifth in the Women’s World Cup after New Zealand failed to beat England in the last group match in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. As a result, the Kiwis ended sixth with four points while Sri Lanka clinched fifth spot with five points. The finish earns them a cool USD 700,000 in prize money — a handsome return for a side that had failed to even qualify for the previous edition in New Zealand.
Sri Lanka were left cursing the weather gods after three of their four Colombo games were washed out, robbing them of valuable opportunities to climb higher and earn a semi-final berth. Their points came via one win and three rain-affected no-results. The solitary win — against Bangladesh — was nothing short of a heist.
With Bangladesh needing just nine off the final over and holding five wickets in hand, captain Chamari Athapaththu took matters into her own hands and turned the match on its head — claiming four wickets in four balls. It was the sort of over that will be spoken about wherever the game’s glorious uncertainties are cherished.
Chamari was the heartbeat of Sri Lanka’s campaign, blazing away at the top, while Nilakshika de Silva chipped in down the order with some meaty blows. She also registered the fastest half-century of the tournament, reaching the landmark in just 26 balls — a knock straight out of the Bazball textbook.
Sri Lanka’s spinners kept things tight through the middle overs, squeezing run flow with clever variations. But their hard work was often undone by sloppy fielding as several sitters went down. In the curtain-raiser against India, four dropped catches allowed the hosts to recover from 126-6 — a missed opportunity that cost the islanders dearly.
Much was expected from youngsters like Vishmi Gunarathne and the captain-in-waiting Harshitha Samarawickrama, but both failed to live up to their billing. Still, for a team once down in the dumps, this was a comeback to savour — a phoenix-like rise that promises brighter days ahead for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka.
Encouragingly, Sri Lanka’s Under-19 team beat Australia Under-19 in a recent bilateral series — another sign that the pipeline is healthy. The focus now shifts to next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup in England, where Sri Lanka are drawn alongside West Indies, New Zealand, England and a yet-to-be-named qualifier.
Chamari’s side will feature in the curtain-raiser at Edgbaston on June 12 before heading to Bristol, Southampton and Old Trafford, eager to prove once again that they can mix it with the best.
by Rex Clementine
Oman made a couple of changes in the last two fixtures without success. Shakeel Ahmed went in and out of the side in the three games, but picked three wickets against Ireland and should keep his place. Jatinder might look at giving top-order batter Karan Sonavale another go.
[Cricbuzz]
Zimbabwe marched into the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup with the swagger of a side that refuses to read the script, completing the group phase unbeaten after a polished six-wicket win over co-hosts Sri Lanka at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Thursday.
Ranked 11th in the world, the African side have been the tournament’s disruptors-in-chief. Having already sent former champions Australia packing last week, they now added 2014 winners Sri Lanka to their growing list of scalps, underlining that this is no flash in the pan but a team riding a serious wave of momentum.
Chasing 179 on a surface that demanded both muscle and method, Zimbabwe found themselves at crossroads when 65 were needed off the last 36 balls. Enter Sikandar Raza, sleeves rolled up and eyes locked in.
The all-rounder flipped the contest on its head in one decisive over from Dushan Hemantha, plundering 20 runs with two towering sixes and a rasping boundary. In the blink of an eye, the asking rate dipped and Sri Lanka’s shoulders sagged.
Raza and Brian Bennett stitched together a match-defining 69 off 40 deliveries for the third wicket, mixing clean ball-striking with smart running between the wickets. Zimbabwe crossed the line with three balls to spare.
While Raza provided the late fireworks with 45 off 26 balls, peppered with two fours and four sixes, opener Bennett was the glue that held the innings together. His composed 63 off 48 deliveries, studded with eight fours, ensured Zimbabwe never lost sight of the target.
Even when Raza departed with 13 still required from two overs, Sri Lanka sensed a sniff. But Tony Munyonga calmly clubbed Maheesh Theekshana’s first delivery of the final over into the stands, draining the tension from the contest. Fittingly, Bennett sealed the deal with the winning boundary. Raza was named Man of the Match.
It was Zimbabwe’s second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
Earlier, after opting to bat, Sri Lanka were once again anchored by Pathum Nissanka. Fresh from becoming the tournament’s first centurion earlier in the week, Nissanka produced a polished 62 off 47 balls, bringing up his seventh T20 World Cup half-century, equalling Mahela Jayawardene’s record for the most by a Sri Lankan.
He and Kusal Perera gave the innings early impetus with a brisk 54 off 30 balls for the opening stand before Nissanka added a further 46 in 43 deliveries alongside Kusal Mendis.
Pavan Rathnayake provided the late thrust, clearing the ropes twice in a 44 off 25 balls as Sri Lanka posted a competitive 178.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, however, ensured it was a chaseable target rather than a daunting one. Veteran leg-spinner Graeme Cremer led the way with 2-27, applying the squeeze in the middle overs, while the towering Blessing Muzarabani struck twice to finish with 2-38.
Sri Lanka now turn their attention to a Super Eight showdown against England in Kandy on Sunday, a contest that promises high stakes and little margin for error. Zimbabwe, brimming with belief, head to Bombay to face the West Indies on Monday, no longer the underdogs but a side that has earned its place at the top table.
Yuhansa Peiris is set to meet Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives in the girls’ singles final after emerging victorious in the semi finals of the J30 ITF Junior Week 4 tournament continued in Colombo on Thursday.
She was the only Sri Lankan player reaching the finals as Ganuka Fernando was eliminated in the boys’ semi final.
Semi Final results
Girls
Yuhansa Peiris beat Aarioda of Japan 6-4, 6-1.
Aaraa Aasaal Azim of Maldives beat Chiu Kwan Nina Wang of Hong Kong 4-6, 6-2, 7-6
Asahi Yamazaki of Japan beat Ganuka Fernando 6-4, 1-6, 6-2
Kenshin Sato of Japan beat Eunho Park of Korea 6-3, 6-1
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