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Chamari hero as Sri Lanka Women’s thump New Zealand Women’s by 10 wickets
The captain of the Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket team, Chamari Athapaththu blasted 80 runs off 47 balls to steer Sri Lanka to a comfortable 10-wicket win over New Zealand women’s in the third and final T20 match at the P Sara Oval, on Wednesday.
The victory was a consolation for the hosts, who had lost the first two matches in the series.
Sri Lanka winning the toss and opting to ball first, paid immediate success when they were reduced to 3-73 inside the first 10 overs.
New Zealand lasses who had a torrid time in the middle with the bat were seen struggling to score runs where none of their batters poses a threat to the Lankan bowlers.
When the chips were down Inform batter Suzie Bates once again rescued New Zealand with 37 runs off 38 deliveries, including 6 fours while skipper Sophie Devine played a quickfire innings, contributing 46 runs off just 25 balls, which included 2 fours and 3 sixes to help them post a decent score on the board at the end of the allotted 20 overs.
In the bowling front, Inoka Ranaweera took 3 wickets for 15 runs while Sugandika Kumari took two wickets.
During the chase, it was a dream start for the Chamari and co as they cruised to 64 runs within the powerplay without losing a wicket.
Interestingly Chamari did the bulk in the powerplay where she scored 45 runs of the 64 runs in the powerplay.
Athapaththu reached her half-century in just 25 balls which was registered as the fastest 50 scored by a Sri Lankan woman in T20is.
She finished off the game unbeaten with 80 runs, of which she scored 13 boundaries and two sixes.
Harshitha Samarawickrama also played handy innings with a fighting unbeaten 49 off 40 deliveries to take their team to a record win.
She smashed three consecutive boundaries in the 14th over to complete the chase in style with 33 balls to spare.
Chamari and Harshitha’s record-breaking 143-run partnership also created history as Sri Lanka’s highest partnership.
The dominant win also saw Sri Lanka create a new record for the highest 10-wicket run chase in women’s T20i history.
There is little doubt over Chamari Athapaththu being the greatest female batter in Sri Lankan history. She has scored the top ten individual scores for Sri Lanka Women and has been the backbone of women’s cricket.
After her record-shattering performance in the recently concluded ODI series against New Zealand Women, she scaled the top of the ICC rankings for batters in Women’s ODIs, an achievement that is in equal parts fitting and historic.
Athapaththu also became just the second Sri Lankan cricketer across gender to reach No.1 in the ICC ODI batters’ rankings. Sanath Jayasuriya remains the only other to have reached that mark. He was the No.1 ranked batter in Men’s ODIs between 2002 and 2003.
Scores: New Zealand 140/9 (Devine 46, Ranaweera 3-15, Kumari 2-23) lost to Sri Lanka 143 for 0 (Athapaththu 80 not out, Samarawickrama 49 not out) by 10 wickets.
චමරි ගේ අනර්ඝ ඉනිමෙන් ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රිඩිකාවන්ට කඩුළු 10ක ජයක්
ශ්රී ලංකා කාන්තා ක්රිකට් කණ්ඩායමේ නායිකා චමරි අතපත්තු පන්දු 47කදී ලකුණු 80ක් රැස්කරමින් නවසීලන්ත කාන්තා පිලට එරෙහිව පී සරා ඕවල් ක්රීඩාංගණයේදී බදාදා පැවැති තෙවැනි සහ අවසන් විස්සයි20 තරගයෙන් කඩුලු 10ක පහසු ජයක් අත්කර ගැනීමට ශ්රී ලංකා පිලට හැකිවිය.
තරගාවලියේ පළමු තරග දෙක පරාජයට පත්ව සිටි සත්කාරක කණ්ඩායමට මෙම ජයග්රහණය අස්වැසිල්ලක් විය.
කාසියේ වාසිය දිනා පළමුව පන්දු යැවීමට තීරණය කළ ශ්රී ලංකාව විසින් නවසීලන්ත ක්රීඩිකාවන් පළමු ඕවර 10 තුළ ලකුණු 3-73කට සීමා කළහ.
පන්දු 38 කදී හතරේ පහර 6 ක් ඇතුළුව ලකුණු 37 ක් රැස්කරමින් නවසීලන්ත ඉනිම ගොඩනැගූ සුසී බේට්ස් යළිත් වරක් නවසීලන්තය බේරා ගත් අතර නායිකා සොෆී ඩිවින් පන්දු 25 කදී හතරේ පහර 2 ක් සහ හයේ පහර 3 ක් සමඟින් ලකුණු 46 ක් රැස් කළාය. නියමිත පන්දුවාර 20 අවසානයේ ඔවුන් සහනදායි ලකුණු පුවරුවක් ලබා ගත්හ.
පන්දු යැවීමේ පෙරමුණේ ඉනෝකා රණවීර ලකුණු 15කට කඩුලු 3ක් දවාගත් අතර සුගන්දිකා කුමාරි කඩුලු 2ක් දවා ගත්තාය.
හඹා යාමේදී කිසිඳු කඩුල්ලක් නොදැවී මුල් පන්දුවාර හය තුළ ලකුණු 64ක් ලබා සිටියදී චමරි ඇතුළු කණ්ඩායමට එය අගනා ආරම්භයක් විය.
සිත්ගන්නා කරුණ නම්, චමරි පවර්ප්ලේ තුළ විශාල ප්රමාණයක් කළ අතර එහිදී ඇය පවර්ප්ලේ හි ලකුණු 64 න් ලකුණු 45 ක් ලබා ගත්තාය.
අතපත්තු සිය අර්ධ ශතකය පන්දු 25කදී වාර්තා කළ අතර එය විස්සයි20 තරගවලදී ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රීඩිකාවක් රැස් කළ වේගවත්ම ලකුණු 50 ලෙස සටහන් විය.
ඇය නොදැවී ලකුණු 80ක් ලබා තරගය නිමා කළ අතර ඉන් හතරේ පහර 13ක් සහ හයේ පහර 2ක් ඇය ලබා ගත්තාය.
හර්ෂිතා සමරවික්රම ද ප්රයෝජනවත් ඉනිමක් ක්රීඩා කරමින් පන්දු 40 කදී නොදැවී ලකුණු 49 ක් රැස්කරමින් තම කණ්ඩායම වාර්තාගත ජයග්රහණයක් කරා රැගෙන යාමට සමත් විය.
ඇය 14 වැනි ඕවරයේ පිට පිට හතරේ පහර 3ක් එල්ලකළ අතර පන්දු 33ක් ඉතිරිව තිබියදී එම හඹා යාම සාර්ථක කර ගත්තාය.
චමරි සහ හර්ෂිතාගේ වාර්තාගත ලකුණු 143 සබඳතාව ශ්රී ලංකාවේ ඉහළම සබඳතාව ලෙස ඉතිහාසයට එක්විය.
මෙම ප්රමුඛ ජයග්රහණයත් සමඟින් කාන්තා T20i ඉතිහාසයේ වැඩිම කඩුලු 10 ලකුණු හඹා යාමේ නව වාර්තාවක් බිහි කිරීමට ශ්රී ලංකාව සමත් විය.
චමරි අතපත්තු ශ්රී ලංකා ඉතිහාසයේ විශිෂ්ඨතම ක්රීඩිකාව වීම ගැන සැකයක් නැත. ඇය ශ්රී ලංකා කාන්තා ක්රිකට් කණ්ඩායම වෙනුවෙන් සිය දායකත්වය හොඳින්ම ලබා දෙන අතර කාන්තා ක්රිකට් ක්රීඩාවේ කොඳු නාරටිය වූවාය.
නවසීලන්ත කාන්තා පිලට එරෙහිව පසුගියදා නිමාවට පත් වූ එක්දින තරගාවලියේදී ඇයගේ වාර්තා බිඳහෙළන දස්කම් දැක්වීමෙන් පසුව, කාන්තා එක්දින තරගවලදී පිතිකරුවන් සඳහා අයිසීසී ශ්රේණිගත කිරීම්වල ඉහළින්ම වැජඹීමට ඇය සමත් වූවාය.
අතපත්තු ICC ODI පිතිකරුවන් ශ්රේණිගත කිරීම්වල අංක 1 ස්ථානයට පැමිණි දෙවන ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රිකට් ක්රීඩකයා බවට පත් විය. සනත් ජයසූරිය එම ලකුණට පැමිණි අනෙක් එකම පුද්ගලයා වේ. ඔහු 2002 සහ 2003 අතර පිරිමි එක්දින තරඟාවලියේ අංක 1 පිතිකරුවා විය.
ලකුණු: නවසීලන්තය 140/9 (ඩෙවින් 46, රණවීර 3-15, කුමාරි 2-23) ශ්රී ලංකාව කඩුලු 0කට 143 (අතපත්තු නොදැවී 80, සමරවික්රම 49) කඩුලු 10කින් පරාජයට පත් විය.
Cricket
Jonathan Trott to replace Sanath Jayasuriya as Sri Lanka Head Coach?
Jonathan Trott, the former England batter who recently concluded his tenure as Afghanistan’s head coach, has emerged as the leading contender to succeed Sanath Jayasuriya as Sri Lanka’s national head coach, it is learnt.
Jayasuriya had earlier indicated his intention to step down, prompting Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to initiate the process of identifying a successor. However, an official announcement regarding the transition has yet to be made.
Trott’s name has quickly moved to the forefront of discussions, with his recent international coaching experience viewed as a valuable asset during what is expected to be a rebuilding phase for Sri Lanka. In the interim, SLC is considering appointing a temporary coach to oversee the upcoming Afghanistan series while deliberations continue.
The push for change follows Sri Lanka’s disappointing campaign at the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted with India, where the team failed to secure a win in the Super 8 stage. The result has intensified calls for structural and strategic adjustments within both the playing group and support staff.
Despite the anticipated changes in the coaching setup, selectors are expected to retain Dasun Shanaka as T20 captain, indicating continued confidence in his leadership moving forward.
While no formal decision has been confirmed, Trott’s emergence as the frontrunner signals that Sri Lanka Cricket may be preparing for a new direction as the national team looks to regroup and rebuild.
Cricket
ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026: Semi-Final Line-Up Confirmed as Tournament Heads for Grandstand Finish
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 has reached its decisive stage, with the Super Eights battles now complete and four teams emerging as semi-finalists after weeks of high-intensity cricket across Sri Lanka and India.
How the Tournament Progressed
The group stages delivered early drama. Zimbabwe stunned traditional heavyweights to top Group B, while Sri Lanka showed strong form in the first round with three wins in four matches before faltering in the Super Eights. India, South Africa, West Indies and England all looked dominant in patches, setting up a thrilling knockout race.
Super Eights – Group 1 Review
South Africa finished unbeaten with three wins from three matches and an impressive Net Run Rate of 2.259, showcasing balance in both departments.
India recovered from an early setback to finish second with two wins. Despite identical “For” and “Against” figures (566 runs each), India edged through on points.
West Indies and Zimbabwe fell short despite competitive performances.
Qualified from Group 1:
✔ South Africa
✔ India
Super Eights – Group 2 Review
England were clinical, winning all three matches and topping the group with six points.
New Zealand and Pakistan both finished on three points, but New Zealand advanced courtesy of a superior Net Run Rate (1.390 compared to Pakistan’s -0.123).
Sri Lanka endured a difficult Super Eights campaign, finishing without a win.
Qualified from Group 2:
✔ England
✔ New Zealand
Confirmed Semi-Finalists
- South Africa
- India
- England
- New Zealand
Standout Performers of the Tournament
Batting Impact
- Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan) – 383 runs
- Shimron Hetmyer (West Indies) – 248 runs
- Harry Brook (England) – 228 runs
Bowling Impact
- Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) – 13 wickets
- Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) – 12 wickets
- Jofra Archer (England) – 10 wickets
All-round contributions have been key, with Jason Holder and Will Jacks also ranking high in overall impact metrics.
Semi-Final Preview & Predicted Finalists
South Africa vs New Zealand
South Africa have been the most consistent team in the tournament. Their unbeaten Super Eight run and strong bowling unit give them a slight edge. However, New Zealand’s ability to handle pressure games makes this a tactical battle.
Prediction: South Africa hold a narrow advantage.
England vs India
This promises to be a blockbuster encounter. England’s aggressive batting and disciplined bowling make them formidable, but India’s depth and big-match temperament could tilt the contest.
Prediction: India vs England is too close to call, but India’s batting depth may prove decisive.
Predicted Final
South Africa vs India
South Africa’s bowling efficiency combined with India’s explosive batting lineup could set up a high-scoring and tactical grand finale.
As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 heads into the knockout stage, the margins are razor-thin. One over, one spell, or one individual brilliance could define who lifts the trophy.
Stay tuned to Sri Lankan Sports TV for full semi-final coverage, expert analysis and post-match breakdowns.
News
Run for Hope 2026 to Unite Kandy for a Cause – Sri Lankan Sports TV Named Official Sports Network Partner
Kandy is set to witness a powerful blend of fitness and compassion as Run of Hope – Kandy 2026 takes place on 29th March 2026 at 6:30 AM, starting from Bogambara Grounds.
Organised by the Voice for the Voiceless Foundation, this inspiring half marathon and charity run aims to raise LKR 3,000,000 to support single mothers and vulnerable families across Sri Lanka.
In a significant development, Sri Lankan Sports TV has officially partnered with the event as the Official Sports Network Partner, pledging full media coverage and digital promotion to amplify the message of hope and empowerment behind the initiative.
More Than a Race — A Movement for Change
Run of Hope 2026 is not just about crossing a finish line. It is about transforming lives.
Every registration, every step, and every kilometre contributes directly toward:
- Empowering vulnerable women
- Providing essential resources for struggling families
- Creating life skills and sustainable opportunities
- Strengthening communities through long-term support
All proceeds will directly support the foundation’s mission to create measurable and lasting impact.
Event Details
📍 Starting Point: Bogambara Grounds, Kandy
🗓 Date: 29 March 2026
⏰ Time: 6:30 AM
Participants will enjoy a breathtaking early morning route around the iconic Kandy Lake, combining scenic beauty with purpose-driven participation.
Race Categories
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or joining with family and friends, there’s a category for everyone:
🏃 2KM – Family Run
Perfect for families, children, and community supporters.
🏃 5KM – Fun Run
Ideal for casual runners seeking both enjoyment and challenge.
🏃 10KM – Expert Run
Designed for experienced runners ready to push their limits for a meaningful cause.
2KM Route Overview
Bogambara Grounds → Kandy Road → Clock Tower → Sangaraja Mawatha → Church Road → Bogambara Grounds
A safe, engaging, and scenic course suitable for all age groups.
Registration Details
- Age 12 and below: Rs. 1,500
- Age 13 and above: Rs. 2,500
Spots are limited, and early registration is encouraged.
Register here: https://forms.gle/XPeNesVytj1dpAbR6
Sri Lankan Sports TV’s Commitment
mmitment to supporting community-driven sporting initiatives that create real social impact.
Run with Purpose. Run for Families. Run for Hope.
On 29th March, Kandy will not just host a race — it will host a movement of compassion, unity, and resilience.
Because every mother deserves support.
Because every child deserves a future.
Because hope begins with action.
Stay tuned to Sri Lankan Sports TV for exclusive coverage and updates.
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