Chamari Athapaththu, the 36-year-old Sri Lankan skipper and premier all-rounder, etched her name further into women’s cricket history by becoming the first Sri Lankan woman to claim 150 international wickets across formats. The landmark arrived during the final of the 6th ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup on 13 September 2026 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, where India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs to lift their fourth T20 Asia Cup title.
Athapaththu’s milestone wicket came in the first innings when she dismissed Indian wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh for 17 off 13 balls. Though her figures of 4-0-34-1 reflected India’s dominant batting display, the moment marked a career-defining achievement for a player who has been the cornerstone of Sri Lankan women’s cricket for over 17 years.
India, after winning the toss and opting to bat, posted 183/5 in their 20 overs, powered by a record-breaking 129-run opening stand between Shafali Verma (68 off 39) and Smriti Mandhana (59 off 39), the highest opening partnership in ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. Chasing 184, Sri Lanka were restricted to 111 all out on the final ball, with Athapaththu top-scoring with 36 off 32 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes.
Athapaththu’s journey to 150 international wickets began with her T20I debut on 15 June 2009 against India at Taunton. Since then, she has claimed 89 wickets in 111 T20I innings at an average of 23.28 and an economy of 6.64 across 170 matches, registering one four-wicket haul and one five-wicket haul.
Her finest T20I bowling performance came earlier in this very tournament on 2 September 2026 against Indonesia, where she produced a sensational 7 for 5 in 3.3 overs, the best bowling figures by a Sri Lankan in Women’s T20Is and joint-best by a captain in the format alongside Argentina’s Alison Stocks. Her spell included a hat-trick; Sri Lanka won that game by 75 runs, and she was awarded Player of the Match. She ended the tournament as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker and the joint second-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 12 wickets (alongside India’s Shree Charani) at an average of 7.75 and an economy of 5.02 across five innings.
In ODIs, Athapaththu made her debut on 18 April 2010 against the West Indies at Basseterre. She has since taken 61 wickets in 76 ODI innings at an average of 37.44 and an economy of 5.21 across 129 matches, including one four-wicket haul. Her consistency across formats and her ability to deliver in high-pressure situations have made her one of the most respected all-rounders in women’s cricket.
With this tournament now concluded, Sri Lanka will shift focus to the upcoming 4th Asian Games, hosted by Japan at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, from 17 to 22 September 2026. The Silver medalists will be led once again by Athapaththu; Sri Lanka will begin their campaign against Malaysia in the third quarter-final at 5:30 AM IST.
As India celebrate their fourth T20 Asia Cup title, having previously won in 2012, 2016, 2022, and now 2026, Athapaththu’s personal milestone ensures that her legacy continues to inspire the next generation of Sri Lankan cricketers.
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