Sri Lanka Women produced another dominant performance in Hambantota to defeat Pakistan Women by eight wickets in the third and final ODI on July 28, 2026 (Tuesday). Chasing a target of 188, Sri Lanka reached 191/2 in just 37.2 overs, completing the victory with 76 balls to spare. The result helped Sri Lanka win the three-match ICC Women’s Championship series 2-1 after Pakistan had taken the lead by winning the opening ODI.
The win was set up by an excellent bowling performance after Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and chose to field first. Pakistan struggled to build a strong total throughout their innings and were eventually bowled out for 187 in 40 overs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals, preventing Pakistan from building the kind of partnerships needed to post a challenging score on the board.
Pakistan’s innings got off to a difficult start as Sadaf Shamas was dismissed for nine before Sidra Amin and Ayesha Zafar fell without scoring. Chethana Vimukthi played a major role in Pakistan’s early trouble, taking three wickets and putting the visitors under immediate pressure. Gull Feroza then provided some much-needed stability with an attacking 40 from 35 balls, hitting five boundaries and helping Pakistan recover from their poor start.
Muneeba Ali tried to anchor the innings with a patient 34 from 71 balls, while Najiha Alvi contributed 30 from 39 deliveries. The pair attempted to rebuild the Pakistan innings and helped their team move towards the 150-run mark. However, Sri Lanka continued to apply pressure and kept finding breakthroughs, making it difficult for Pakistan to establish a long partnership or accelerate consistently during the middle overs.
Captain Fatima Sana gave Pakistan some hope with a fighting 41 from 49 balls, hitting two fours and a six. However, her dismissal in the final over brought Pakistan’s innings to an end at 187. Athapaththu was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with 3/27, while Vimukthi and Kavisha Dilhari also claimed three wickets each. Inoka Ranaweera took one wicket, as Sri Lanka’s bowling attack successfully restricted Pakistan to a below-par total.
Sri Lanka’s chase began positively, although they lost Vishmi Gunaratne for 12 after she had helped the team make a steady start. Athapaththu then took control of the innings and played an aggressive knock that quickly shifted the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favour. The captain smashed 52 from just 38 balls, hitting seven fours and two sixes, and brought up her half-century from only 33 deliveries before being dismissed with Sri Lanka comfortably placed at 85/2.
After Athapaththu’s dismissal, Harshitha Samarawickrama took charge of the chase and continued her excellent form throughout the series. The Player of the Series played a composed unbeaten innings of 71 from 92 balls, striking 11 boundaries and anchoring the chase brilliantly. Her ability to rotate the strike and find boundaries at the right moments ensured that Sri Lanka never allowed Pakistan’s bowlers to build sustained pressure.
Hasini Perera provided excellent support at the other end and finished unbeaten on 50 from 77 balls. The pair shared a match-winning partnership that took Sri Lanka comfortably past the target without any further loss of wickets. Their calm approach meant Sri Lanka completed the chase in just 37.2 overs, reaching 191/2 and sealing a convincing eight-wicket victory with 76 balls still remaining.
Athapaththu was named Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round contribution of 52 runs and 3/27 with the ball. Harshitha Samarawickrama was named Player of the Series after finishing the three-match ODI series with 173 runs. Her consistent batting performances played an important role in Sri Lanka’s successful comeback after Pakistan won the opening match of the series.
The result completed a strong turnaround for Sri Lanka in the ODI series. Pakistan won the first ODI by five wickets, but Sri Lanka responded strongly by winning the second match by eight wickets before producing another eight-wicket victory in the series decider. The back-to-back wins showed Sri Lanka’s ability to recover from an early setback and dominate the final two matches.
Sri Lanka will now carry the confidence from their 2-1 ODI series victory into the three-match T20I series against Pakistan. The first T20I will be played on July 31, 2026 (Friday) in Dambulla, with the second match scheduled for August 2, 2026 (Sunday) and the third T20I on August 4, 2026 (Tuesday). Pakistan will be hoping to bounce back in the shorter format and challenge Sri Lanka once again.
For Pakistan, the ODI series will be a disappointing result after their strong start in the opening match. Their batting struggled to put up competitive totals in the final two games, while Sri Lanka’s bowlers and top-order batters consistently stepped up when it mattered most. Pakistan will now have an opportunity to reset and begin the T20I series on a positive note as both teams prepare for another three-match battle in Dambulla.
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