As six-time champions Australia gear up for their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, they’ll face Sri Lanka, who are eager to bounce back after a 31-run loss to Pakistan. Both teams are entering the match with key players on the brink of significant milestones, adding extra intrigue to the contest.
Skipper Alyssa Healy is set to mark her eighth consecutive World Cup appearance. With 2987 T20I runs in 159 matches, she needs just 13 more to become only the second Australian woman, after Meg Lanning, to surpass the 3000-run mark in T20Is. Healy is also just 2 runs short of 6000 white ball runs across both ODI and T20I formats. When including Test cricket, she is only 47 runs away from hitting 6500 international runs overall.
All-rounder Ellyse Perry, another key figure in the Australian squad, is on the verge of her own milestone. Having played 157 T20Is, Perry is Australia’s second most-capped player in the format, following Healy. With 1956 runs to her name, she is just 44 runs away from becoming only the fourth Australian woman to cross 2000 T20I runs. In addition to her batting prowess, Perry has also claimed 126 wickets in the format, making her one of the most complete players in women’s cricket.
Vice-captain Tahlia McGrath, an emerging star, is on the cusp of reaching the 1000-run mark in T20Is. McGrath has accumulated 981 runs in 45 matches, meaning she needs just 19 more to achieve this milestone. Meanwhile, Kim Garth, who has represented both Ireland and Australia, is just 2 wickets away from reaching 100 international wickets across both nations. With 65 wickets for Ireland and 33 for Australia.
Sri Lankan star Harshitha Samarawickrama is set to play her 100th international match when she takes the field against Australia, a remarkable achievement in her blossoming career. With 1470 runs from 66 T20I matches, she is just 30 runs shy of becoming the second Sri Lankan woman, after Chamari Athapaththu, to reach 1500 T20I runs. Samarawickrama has been a steady performer for Sri Lanka and will look to add to her tally in this crucial encounter.
Speaking of Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka’s captain and most influential player, she is nearing her own milestone. Already boasting 7045 international runs (3713 in ODIs and 3332 in T20Is), Athapaththu is just 4 wickets away from reaching 100 international wickets. With 37 wickets in ODIs and 59 in T20Is, she’s proven her worth with both bat and ball and remains the cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s hopes.
All-rounder Kavisha Dilhari, at just 23, is another player on the brink of personal achievements. Since her debut in 2018, Dilhari has steadily accumulated 968 international runs, leaving her just 32 runs short of the 1000-run mark. In T20Is specifically, she needs just 14 more runs to reach 500. Additionally, her bowling has been impactful, with 51 T20I wickets to her name, including a career-best of 4 for 13.
Australia holds a commanding head-to-head record over Sri Lanka, having won all seven of their previous encounters in T20Is. However, with both teams eyeing personal and collective milestones, Sri Lanka will be motivated to upset the defending champions. The match will take place at 3:30 PM IST at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.