Cyprus Women delivered a commanding all-round performance against Malta Women in the fifth T20I of the Malta Women Tour of Cyprus 2026, securing a convincing 51-run victory at Happy Valley Ground. After being asked to bat first, Cyprus Women produced a disciplined batting display to post 81/9 in their allotted 20 overs before their bowlers dismantled Malta Women’s chase, restricting them to just 30 runs in 15.2 overs.
Cyprus Women began their innings with an early setback as Ayesha Dirannehallage was dismissed without scoring, falling for 0 off 4 balls against the bowling of Likitha Yadav. Sasmi Jayakodi attempted to steady the innings but could only contribute 2 runs from 5 deliveries before becoming the second wicket to fall, leaving Cyprus in a difficult position
However, captain Iresha Chathurani provided stability with a responsible knock of 30 runs from 42 balls, including one boundary. She built important partnerships throughout the innings and became the backbone of the Cyprus batting effort. Chathurani first combined with Dineka Koralalage, who added 1 run before being run out, and later shared valuable stands with Dilini Ishara and Chandrika Wijesinghe.
Dilini Ishara scored 4 runs from 14 balls before being dismissed by Likitha Yadav, while Thamara De Silva fell for a duck after facing four deliveries. Despite wickets falling regularly, Chathurani continued to anchor the innings before she was dismissed for 30 off 42 balls, caught by De Bromhead off Silda Joy’s bowling.
Chandrika Wijesinghe contributed 7 runs from 19 balls, while Samantha Dunukedeniya added a quick 5 off 13 deliveries. Nirmi Liyanage scored 2 runs, and late contributions from Shyma Arachchige (4 off 5 balls) and Nilusha Waruwagode (1 off 9 balls) helped Cyprus reach 81/9. Extras also played a part, with 25 additional runs, including 21 wides, one leg bye, and three no-balls.
For Malta Women, the bowling attack worked hard to restrict Cyprus. Likitha Yadav was the standout bowler, taking 2 wickets for 13 runs in 4 overs, while Silda Joy also claimed 3 wickets for 13 runs from her four overs. Nicole De Bromhead picked up 1 wicket for 14 runs, Anupama Rameshan took 2 wickets for 12 runs, Swetha Don grabbed 1 wicket for 17 runs, and Susan George bowled two overs conceding 11 runs.
Chasing 82 runs for victory, Malta Women struggled from the beginning as Cyprus Women’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure. Likitha Yadav was dismissed for a duck after facing seven balls, with Samantha Dunukedeniya taking the wicket. Thanooja Sharfudheen managed only 1 run from two balls before falling to Dunukedeniya, while Nicole De Bromhead scored 2 runs from 10 deliveries before being dismissed by Wijesinghe. Captain Anupama Rameshan also failed to make an impact, scoring 2 runs from seven balls before being removed by Dunukedeniya.
The Malta batting lineup continued to collapse under pressure as Silda Joy was dismissed for a duck, followed by Swetha Don’s 6 runs from 22 balls. Stella Arooia added 1 run, while Susan George top-scored for Malta with 3 runs from 23 deliveries. Reshma Raghavan, Sandra Coelho, and Silvana Bandeva could not provide the required resistance as Cyprus completed a dominant bowling performance.
Cyprus Women’s bowling attack was led brilliantly by Samantha Dunukedeniya, who claimed 4 wickets for just 10 runs in 3.2 overs. Dineka Koralalage supported her with an excellent spell of 0 wickets for 2 runs in 2 overs, while Ayesha Dirannehallage took 2 wickets for 8 runs in her four overs. Chandrika Wijesinghe also impressed with 2 wickets for 9 runs, and Iresha Chathurani stunned with 2 wickets for no runs from her two overs.
Malta Women were eventually bowled out for 30 runs in 15.2 overs, handing Cyprus Women a comprehensive 51-run victory. The result showcased Cyprus Women’s strong bowling depth and their ability to defend a modest total through disciplined execution. With crucial performances from Chathurani with the bat and Dunukedeniya with the ball, Cyprus Women continued their impressive run in the T20I series, while Malta Women were left searching for answers after another challenging batting performance.
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