The 6th T20I of the Cyprus Women vs Greece Women series in Episkopi delivered a commanding performance from Greece Women, who produced a clinical all-round display to seal an emphatic victory with 22 balls to spare, their first in this 6-match series. After a competitive start from Cyprus Women, the match gradually tilted in Greece’s favour through disciplined bowling and a composed chase anchored by their top order.
Cyprus Women began their innings cautiously, but early breakthroughs by Greece Women disrupted any hopes of a solid foundation. Thanuja Gedarage fell early for 4 at 16/1 in 3.5 overs, caught by Maria Syrioti off Sofia-nefeli Georgota. Just one ball later, Alexandra Taylor departed for a duck at 16/2 (3.6 overs), further denting the innings. Despite the double blow, Ayesha Dirannehelage stepped up with a steady knock, anchoring the innings with 26 off 40 balls. She found some support in Nilmini Liyanage, and the duo stitched together a patient 35-run partnership for the third wicket, taking the score to 51 before Dirannehelage was dismissed at 51/3 in 9.4 overs.
Liyanage continued to hold one end, scoring 11 off 30 deliveries, but the scoring rate remained under pressure due to tight bowling. Captain Iresha Chathurani injected some momentum into the innings with a valuable 24 off 32 balls. Together, Liyanage and Chathurani added 22 runs for the fourth wicket before Liyanage fell at 73/4 in 15.3 overs. Chathurani carried on briefly, forming another small partnership, but was eventually run out for 24 at 94/5 in 19.5 overs. Dilini Ishara also fell run-out cheaply, leaving Cyprus Women relying on late runs from Dinelka Koralalage (6* off 10) and Thamara De Silva (2* off 1) pushed the total to 96/6 in 20 overs. Extras played a significant role, contributing 22 runs.
Greece Women’s bowling attack was well-rounded and effective throughout the innings. Sofia-nefeli Georgota stood out with figures of 2/18 in her 4 overs, striking crucial early blows. Adamantia Makri impressed as well, picking up 1/14 in 3 overs while maintaining tight lines. Maria Syrioti was economical with 0/17 in 4 overs, while Maria-afroditi Vervitsioti contributed with 1/16. Elpida Kallous kept things tidy with 0/16, and Aggeliki Savvani chipped in despite conceding a few runs.
Chasing a target of 97, Greece Women showed far greater composure with the bat. However, the innings didn’t start perfectly as Maria-afroditi Vervitsioti fell for 3 at 29/1 in 4.6 overs, caught by Alexandra Taylor off Chandrika Wijesinghe. Soon after, Adamantia Makri, who played a fluent knock of 19 off 27 balls, was dismissed at 38/2 in 6.5 overs, again falling to Wijesinghe.
At that stage, Greek women needed stability, and it came through a match-defining partnership between captain Maria Syrioti and Aggeliki Ioanna Argyropoulou. The pair stitched together an unbeaten 59-run stand for the third wicket, calmly guiding the chase. Syrioti led from the front with a composed 30* off 38 balls, rotating strike effectively, while Argyropoulou provided excellent support with 19* off 25 deliveries. Their partnership ensured there were no further hiccups as Greece steadily closed in on the target.
Cyprus Women’s bowling effort saw Chandrika Wijesinghe emerge as the standout performer with 2/17 in her 4 overs, accounting for both early wickets. However, the rest of the attack struggled to break the crucial third-wicket stand. Ayesha Dirannehelage bowled economically but went wicketless (0/21), while Iresha Chathurani (0/27) and Alexandra Taylor (0/16) couldn’t find breakthroughs. Dinelka Koralalage also went wicketless in her short spell.
In the end, Greece Women’s dominant chase, powered by strong partnerships and disciplined batting, secured a convincing 8-wicket win. With standout contributions from both their bowlers and top order, Greece ended the tour on high, going down 4-1 in the 6-match series.
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