Sri Lanka’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 campaign has followed a path they anticipated — beginning against a formidable Indian side in their own conditions and now moving to an even sterner test against defending champions Australia. For Chamari Athapaththu and her team, the task is as tough as it gets, but rather than seeing adversity, they see opportunity.
For the Sri Lankans, the early setback hasn’t shaken belief. They remain focused, knowing that their opening defeat came not from a lack of talent, but from missed chances. The dressing room’s frustration stems from high standards — a conviction that they can be better, not a feeling that all hope is lost.
The World Cup opened with a spirited performance from Sri Lanka, even though the scoreboard ultimately favored India by 59 runs. The game had everything — rain delays, momentum swings, and glimpses of brilliance from both sides — before the hosts seized control late in the contest.
Sri Lanka began impressively with the ball, removing Smriti Mandhana (8 off 10) early through a sharp Udeshika Prabodhani delivery. When Inoka Ranaweera (4/46) produced a dream over — dismissing Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Harmanpreet Kaur in quick succession — the Indians were rocked at 124/6, and the Lankans were firmly in the contest.
Despite India’s lower-order recovery, Athapaththu felt her team showed strong intent — even if the finer details eluded them, “Actually, the last game (against India) we played good cricket, but not the best cricket. We dropped a few catches in crucial times,” the captain admitted ahead of their clash with Australia.
Acknowledging that lapses in the middle overs cost them the game, she added, “So that’s why we lost the game. And as a batting unit, we struggle in the middle overs. So we have to learn from the mistakes and bounce back.”
But the mood in the camp remains optimistic, built on the belief that this group has the resilience to recover quickly, “We are resilient. We have done (well) a few times when we are in bad times, we always come up and play our best cricket.”
Though Sri Lanka haven’t faced Australia in ODIs since 2019, where the hosts swept the series 3-0, they’ve watched and learned from afar, especially during shorter white-ball formats. This time, they have the advantage of home conditions and a desire to turn lessons into results.
But since then, Sri Lanka has been on a rise and their fifth-place finish in the ICC Women’s Championship cycle (2022 – 25) ensured direct qualification. It’s a testament to their consistency and the leadership of Athapaththu.
Few players in world cricket have troubled Australia as much as Chamari Athapaththu. The left-handed opener boasts an impressive record — an average of 44.87 in nine innings against the world champions, at a strike rate of 85.47. Her unforgettable 178 not out from 143 balls in the 2017 World Cup remains one of the format’s greatest knocks.
Players like Vishmi Gunaratne and Kaveesha Dilhari are eager to make their mark alongside their skipper, “My average is good against Australia, in Australia and here,” Chamari remarked with a calm assurance.
Yet, she knows past performances are just memories — what matters is execution on the day. “But the thing is tomorrow is a fresh day. As a team, as a player. We have to start again. Start from zero.”
Chamari’s leadership extends far beyond her batting. As the most experienced voice in a youthful side, she understands the importance of nurturing composure and confidence in her teammates, “I want to share my knowledge with the youngsters, especially with our batters. Because I have a very young batting line up, so I want to share my knowledge with them.”
Australia have won all 11 ODIs against Sri Lanka so far — a record that highlights the scale of the challenge but also sharpens Sri Lanka’s hunger to create history. Athapaththu believes this team has what it takes to finally flip that script, “We are playing against the top team, world champions (Australia). So, if we can execute at the right place at the right time, we know and I know we can beat any team.”
For Chamari, the difference between potential and victory lies in one word — execution, “But execution is the most important thing, rather than skill and mindset. We are in a good mindset to play our best cricket”
As Sri Lanka prepare for their first home match of the tournament in Colombo, there’s quiet confidence brewing within the squad. They know the odds, they know the opposition, but they also know the value of belief.
(Quotes sourced from the ICC)
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