Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu remains optimistic about her team’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, despite a frustrating run of weather interruptions and inconsistent form.
Persistent rain in Colombo on October 14 forced the abandonment of Sri Lanka’s clash against New Zealand, leaving the hosts with just two points from four matches. While that result dented their semi-final hopes, Athapaththu believes the equation is still simple, win all three remaining games and stay in the race.
“Definitely the next game is very crucial for us because we need to win three games,” Athapaththu said. “We focus on next game, and I know we have to improve in some areas before next game, and I hope we can play next game without any rain.”
Sri Lanka’s upcoming fixtures against South Africa, Bangladesh, and Pakistan will be must-win encounters if they are to keep their semi-final dream alive. Yet, Athapaththu’s tone remains defiant and grounded, focused on performance rather than permutations.
Despite the washout, the Sri Lankan camp has drawn confidence from their batting display against the White Ferns, where they posted a competitive 258/6 before rain abandoned play. All-rounder Nilakshika Silva’s unbeaten 55 and young opener Vishmi Gunaratne’s fluent 42 stood out as signs of progress within the batting unit.
Gunaratne’s return to form came after a tactical shuffle saw her move back to her preferred opening slot alongside her captain, a decision that seems to have paid off.
“She is our No.1 opener, but over the last six months she has struggled as an opener,” Athapaththu explained. “That’s why she moved to No.4, but again we talk with the selectors and the team management, and I talk to her. And she moved back to her normal batting place with me.
I feel she’s played really good cricket today and it seemed to work out with the top three today, with that batting order change. It also worked out with Nilakshika Silva as well.”
The leadership group’s tactical adjustments and the return of form from key players could not have come at a better time. Sri Lanka, known for their fighting spirit, will need both consistency and composure in the remaining fixtures to pull off what would be a remarkable turnaround.
With the tournament entering its decisive phase, both teams Sri Lanka and New Zealand now share the same equation, win everything from here. For Sri Lanka, however, the focus is clear and simple: control the controllables, believe in their ability, and hope the rain gods stay away as Chamari Athapaththu leads her team into the final stretch with belief still intact.
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