Skipper Chamari Athapaththu’s show, stuns South Africa as Sri Lanka records the highest-ever run chase in Women’s ODIs. The South African Women’s team led by skipper Laura Wolvaardt is hosting Sri Lanka led by skipper Chamari Athapaththu for a three-match T20I series followed by a three-match ODI series. Sri Lanka triumphed over South Africa to clinch the T20I series by a 2-1 margin.
The 1st ODI of the three-match series was washed out courtesy of persistent rain. South Africa clinched the 2nd ODI by a comprehensive 7-wicket victory. The South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt was awarded the Player of the Match for her match-winning performance (110* off 141 balls) with the bat.
Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to field first. After being inserted to bat first, the South African openers Lara Goodall and skipper Laura Wolvaardt got them off to a solid start with a massive 116-run opening stand. Kavisha Dilhari picked up the wicket of Lara Goodall to provide the much-needed breakthrough for Sri Lanka. South Africa lost a couple of wickets in quick succession in the 25th over of the innings.
Marizanne Kapp joined skipper Laura Wolvaardt at the crease and the duo stitched a crucial 63-run partnership for the 4th wicket before Marizanne Kapp was found short of her crease to provide the 4th breakthrough for Sri Lanka. Nadine de Klerk joined skipper Laura Wolvaardt at the crease and the duo stitched another crucial 92-run partnership for the 5th wicket before Kavisha Dilhari came back and picked up the wicket of Nadine de Klerk to provide the 5th breakthrough for her side.
South Africa eventually ended up with a total of 301/5 in their quota of overs. Skipper Laura Wolvaardt stayed unbeaten on 184 off 147 balls, smashing the highest individual score for South Africa in the ODI format. Marizanne Kapp (36 off 34 balls), and Nadine de Klerk (35 off 48 balls) were the top performers with the bat for South Africa. Kavisha Dilhari (10-0-47-2), and Chamari Athapaththu (10-0-59-1) were the top performers with the ball for Sri Lanka.
Chasing a target of 302, the Sri Lankan openers Vishmi Gunaratne and skipper Chamari Athapaththu got the visitors off to a solid start, as the duo stitched a 90-run opening stand. Delmi Tucker picked up the wicket of Vishmi Gunaratne to provide the much-needed breakthrough for South Africa. The Sri Lankans suffered a mini collapse as they lost their next three wickets for just 36 runs. The South African pacers Ayabonga Khakha and Nadine de Klerk triggered the mini-collapse.
Nilakshika Silva joined skipper Chamari Athapaththu and the duo took their side over the line in a record run chase with a massive 179 unbeaten 5th wicket partnership. Sri Lankan women’s team recorded the highest successful run chase (305/4 [44.3 overs, Vs South Africa, 2024]) in the Women’s ODIs, surpassing Australia’s 289/6 (46.4 overs, Vs New Zealand Women, 2012). Skipper Chamari Athapaththu stayed unbeaten on 195 off 139 balls, taking her side over the line. Nilakshika Silva (50 off 71 balls), and Vishmi Gunaratne (26 off 47 balls) were the top performers with the bat for Sri Lanka.
Ayabonga Khakha (8-1-54-2), Delmi Tucker (5-1-42-1), and Nadine de Klerk (7.3-0-59-1) were the top performers with the ball for South Africa. The Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu was awarded the Player of the Match for her sensational blockbuster all-round dominance, scoring a record-breaking (195* off 139 balls) with the bat and returning with match-figures (10-0-59-1) with the ball. She played a pivotal role in helping Sri Lanka defeat South Africa in the ODI format after almost 10 years, having last defeated them in the format in October 2014.
The Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu, now has the 2nd highest individual score in the ODI format during a run chase in both men’s and women’s cricket, surpassing Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman (193 off 155 balls) Vs South Africa in 2021. Only Australia’s Glenn Maxwell (201* off 128 balls) Vs Afghanistan in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup is ahead of her in the list.
The South African skipper Laura Wolvaardt was awarded the Player of the Series for her sensational performances throughout the series, scoring 335 runs at a strike rate of 97.10. Her tally of runs included a couple of half-centuries in three innings. Her best performance with the bat (184* off 147 balls) in the series also came in the 3rd ODI, however, it wasn’t enough for the hosts to seal the ODI series.
Sri Lanka leveled the three-match ODI series 1-1 with a historic 6-wicket victory in the 3rd ODI. This is Sri Lanka’s first victory in the ODI format against South Africa in South Africa after 19 years. Their last victory came in April 2005.
