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Athapaththu's All-Round Brilliance Levels Series for Sri Lanka Women

Chamari Athapaththu returned from injury to deliver a match-winning all-round performance, taking three wickets to help bowl Bangladesh out for 165. She then smashed a rapid 40 to set up the chase for Sri Lanka. A crucial 79-run partnership between Harshitha Samarawickrama (50) and Hansima Karunaratne (40) steadied the innings after a mid-innings wobble. Despite Nahida Akter's four-wicket haul, Sri Lanka chased down the target with four wickets in hand to level the ODI series.

Key Points: Sri Lanka Women Level ODI Series vs Bangladesh Behind Athapaththu

  • Athapaththu's 3-36 & 40 runs
  • Samarawickrama & Karunaratne's 79-run stand
  • Bangladesh bowled out for 165
  • Nahida Akter's 4-wicket haul
  • Series decider on April 25
3 min read

Skipper Athapaththu's all-round show help Sri Lanka-W level series against Bangladesh

Chamari Athapaththu's 3 wickets and 40 runs lead Sri Lanka Women to a 4-wicket win over Bangladesh, setting up a series decider in Rajshahi.

"Playing her first game of the series... Athapaththu made an immediate impact with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets."

Rajshahi, April 22

Chamari Athapaththu produced a commanding all-round performance to help Sri Lanka level the ODI series against Bangladesh women's in Rajshahi, as the visitors secured a four-wicket win by chasing down 165 in 45.5 overs.

Playing her first game of the series after missing the opener due to a finger injury, Athapaththu made an immediate impact with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets to derail Bangladesh's innings.

She struck first in the 16th over, trapping Sharmin Sultana lbw, a decision the batter appeared unhappy with. In her very next over, Athapaththu dismissed Sobhana Mostary, who was caught at square leg.

Her third wicket came in the 31st over when Ritu Moni miscued a cover drive, only for Nilakshika Silva to complete a sharp catch at mid-off. Earlier, Bangladesh had suffered an early setback when Sharmin Akhter was dismissed for a duck by Malki Madara in the fifth over.

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana top-scored with 58 off 101 balls, including four boundaries, but lacked support from the rest of the batting line-up. Her resistance ended in the 41st over when Nimesha Meepage had her caught behind. Madara, Meepage, and Inoka Ranaweera picked up two wickets each, while Kavisha Dilhari chipped in with one as Bangladesh were bowled out for 165.

In response, Athapaththu once again led from the front, dominating the chase with a brisk 40 off 39 balls, striking eight fours. Despite limited support from the top order, she set the tone before falling to Nahida Akhter in the 17th over. The dismissal sparked a moment of tension, with Nahida giving her a send-off and Athapaththu holding her gaze for several seconds before departing.

The chase was steadied by a crucial 79-run stand for the fourth wicket between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hansima Karunaratne. Samarawickrama struck 50 off 76 balls with seven fours, while Karunaratne contributed 40 off 64 balls, hitting six fours, as Sri Lanka moved within touching distance of the target of 166.

Nahida continued to impress, removing both set batters and later dismissing Kaushini Nuthyangana to finish with a four-wicket haul. Sultana Khatun and Moni picked up one wicket each, but Sri Lanka held their nerve to complete the chase and draw level in the series.

The decider of the three-match ODI series is set to be played in Rajshahi on April 25.

Brief scores:

Bangladesh Women 165 all out in 45.5 overs (Nigar Sultana 58, Sarmin Sultana 25; Chamari Athapaththu 3-36, Nimisha Meepage 2-29) lost to Sri Lanka Women 166/6 in 38.2 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 50, Chamari Athapaththu 40; Nahida Akter 4-21) by four wickets.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The send-off and the stare-down between Nahida and Chamari... that's the kind of passion we love to see! Makes the series decider on the 25th a must-watch. Bangladesh fought hard, but Sri Lanka's experience shone through.
A
Aditi M
Nigar Sultana played a lone hand for Bangladesh. 58 runs but no support from the other end. The middle order really needs to step up if they want to win the series. The 79-run partnership from Sri Lanka was the real difference.
D
David E
As a neutral fan, this is fantastic for the growth of the women's game. Close matches, individual brilliance, and a series decider. Nahida's 4-wicket haul in a losing cause was special. More coverage of these series, please!
K
Karthik V
Respectfully, the pitch report or conditions aren't mentioned. 165 all out suggests the track might have had something for the bowlers. Context matters for these scores. Still, a thrilling game! 🏏
S
Sneha F
Chamari is such an inspiration! Coming back from injury and leading from the front. This is why we need more bilateral series between Asian teams. It improves the standard for everyone. All the best to both teams for the final!

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