Sri Lanka, led by skipper Chamari Athapaththu, battling for a spot in the semi-final, were up against one of the most impressive sides in the tournament, Scotland, under the leadership of skipper Kathryn Bryce, at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, on 26th June 2026, at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester in the 25th match of the ongoing 10th edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted by England and Wales.
Sri Lanka retained the side that took the field in their previous clash against Ireland. Scotland made one change as Gabriella Fontenla returned to the side, replacing Hannah Rainey in the starting 11.
The Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Scotland openers, Katherine Fraser and Darcey Carter, showcased the attacking to take the advantage of the powerplay, getting their side off to a positive start, with a 33-run opening stand. Mithali Ayodhya broke the stand by sending Katherine Farser (12 off 9 balls) back to the pavilion in the 5th over of the innings, providing the 1st breakthrough for Sri Lanka.
Skipper Kathryn Bryce joined Darcey Carter at the crease, and the duo continued with the momentum with another crucial 33-run partnership for the 2nd wicket, which also took them past the 50-run mark. Kavisha Dilhari got the big scalp of the opposition skipper Kathryn Bryce (23 off 23 balls) in the 10th over of the innings, providing the 2nd breakthrough for her side.
Darcey Carter (34 off 36 balls) looked on course for another decisive knock for Scotland before Sugandika Kumari got the better of her in the 14th over of the innings. Ailsa Lister joined the wicket-keeper batter Sarah Bryce at the crease, and the duo got their side back on track for a competitive total, en route to a brisk 53-run stand for the 4th wicket, which took them closer to the 140-run mark.
An unfortunate run-out dented Scotland’s final flourish, with the departure of Ailsa Lister (26 off 17 balls) in the 19th over of the innings. Wicket-keeper batter Sarah Bryce (47* off 33 balls) finished the innings with a boundary to push the Scotland total to 151/6 in their quota of 20 overs. Mithali Ayodhya (4-0-34-2) and Kavisha Dilhari (4-0-19-1) were impressive with the ball for Sri Lanka.
Chasing a target of 152, the Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu got her side off to a flying start with a 32-run opening stand alongside Imesha Dulani, chasing the net run rate scenario. Rachel Slater broke the stand, by sending Imesha Dulani back to the pavilion in the 3rd over of the run chase to provide the first breakthrough for Scotland.
Hasini Perera joined skipper Chamari Athapaththu at the crease, and the duo took them past the 50-run mark inside the powerplay with a 25-run stand for the 2nd wicket. Katherine Fraser cleaned up the opposition skipper Chamari Athapaththu (33 off 16 balls) to get the massive 2nd breakthrough for her side in the final over of the powerplay. Scotland kept chipping away with timely wickets at regular intervals, and Sri Lanka, on the other hand, also stitched together decent partnerships to keep them slightly ahead in the contest.
The likes of Nilakshika Silva (21* off 21 balls), wicket-keeper batter Kaushani Nuthyangana (12 off 10 balls), held their nerve and kept Sri Lanka within touching distance. The game eventually came down to 7 runs required off the last over. Scotland fancied themselves, with one of their best bowlers, Rachel Slater, with the ball in hand under pressure.
A massive setback struck for the Kathryn Bryce-led side, mid-over, as Slater found herself in discomfort with her knee and eventually broke down into tears as she couldn’t complete the over and had to walk off with 3 runs required off the last three balls. Sugadika Kumari (7* off 5 balls) kept her composure and found the gap through the field closing in, and the ball raced away for a boundary as Sri Lanka crossed the finish line with three wickets in hand and a ball to spare to just keep Sri Lanka alive in the race for the semi-final.
Hasini Perera (23 off 17 balls), Harshitha Samarawickrama (27 off 23 balls), and Kavisha Dilhari (18 off 17 balls) chipped in with vital contributions with the bat for Sri Lanka. Skipper Kathryn Bryce (4-0-28-2), Katherine Fraser (4-0-25-2), and Rachel Slater (3.3-0-31-2) picked up a couple of wickets each with the ball for Scotland. Kirstie Gordon (4-0-24-1) was impressive with the ball for her side.
Nilakshika Silva (21* off 21 balls) was awarded the Player of the Match as she kept her composure under pressure to guide Sri Lanka over the line in a must-win contest. The Chamari Athapaththu-led side registered their record 3rd win for the first time in a single edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The Sri Lankans now pin their hopes on Ireland defeating the West Indies on 27th June 2026 (Saturday) at Bristol.
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