Sri Lanka level Women’s T20 series with epic win
Vishmi Gunaratne slammed 65 not out
An unbroken stand of 76 runs for the fourth wicket between Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari enabled Sri Lanka record an epic 7-wicket win against South Africa in the second Women’s T20 match played at Potchefstroom yesterday. With the win, Sri Lanka women levelled the three-match T20 series, after losing the first game by 79 runs on Wednesday at Benoni.
The Lankan lasses made a dramatic comeback after their loss from two days earlier to restrict the Proteas women to 137 for 8, after being put into field first. The visitors then made steady progress as opener Gunaratne smashed 65 off 57 deliveries, inclusive of nine boundaries and a six.
She stood firm despite losing wickets at regular intervals, and navigated Sri Lanka to a comfortable win after forming a splendid partnership with Dilhari, who clobbered 45 off 28 deliveries which included six boundaries.
Gunaratne and Dilhari featured in an epic unbeaten stand of 76 runs, which came off just 46 deliveries for the fourth wicket, as they helped Sri Lanka level the series with a match remaining.
Electing to bat first, South Africa women initiated an early onslaught, despite opener Anneke Bosch holding fort for her team with an entertaining knock of 50, which came off 32 balls inclusive of four boundaries and two sixes. By the time she was trapped leg before by Dilhari as the second wicket at 84, South Africa women were at a commanding position by the 10th over.
However, Sri Lankan bowlers made a collective effort to restrict them to 137-8, which was eventually a target their counterparts achieved with seven balls remaining.
Dilhari was named the player of the match for her allround contribution. The third and final T20 match of the series will be played on Wednesday in East London, before the two teams enter the three-match Women’s ODI series.
| SCORECARD | |
| South Africa Women Anneke Bosch lbw b Dilhari 50 Tazmin Brits b Kulasuriya 07 Marizanne Kapp c Ranaweera b Fernando 44 Sune Luus run out 03 Chloe Tryon b Kulasuriya 02 Nadine de Klerk not out 16 Annerie Dercksen run out 03 Karabo Meso b Athapaththu 00 Nonkululeko Mlaba run out 04 Masabata Klaas not out 05 Extras (lb1, w2) 03 Total (8 wickets; 20 overs) 137 Did not bat: Turni Sekhukhune Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Brits, 3.1ov), 2-84 (Bosch, 9.6ov), 3-99 (Luus, 12.1ov), 4-106 (Kapp, 13.4ov), 5-109 (Tryon, 15.2ov), 6-117 (Dercksen, 16.1ov), 7-118 (Meso, 16.3ov), 8-131 (Mlaba, 19.2ov) Bowling: Udeshika Prabodhani 4-0-24-0, Inoshi Priyadharshani 3-0-21-1, Achini Kulasuriya 4-1-26-2, Chamari Athapaththu 4-0-18-1, Inoka Ranaweera 2-0-25-0, Kavisha Dilhari 3-0-22-1Sri Lanka Women Vishmi Gunaratne not out 65 Chamari Athapaththu c Meso b Sekhukhune 06 Harshitha Samarawickrama b Tryon 12 Hasini Perera c Sekhukhune 01 Kavisha Dilhari not out 45 Extras (lb2, nb1, w6) 09 Total (3 wickets; 18.5 overs) 138 Did not bat: Nilakshika Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Inoka Ranaweera, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Udeshika Prabodhani Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Athapaththu, 4.6ov), 2-56 (Samarawickrama, 9.5ov), 3-62 (Perera, 11.2ov) Bowling: Marizanne Kapp 3-0-17-0, Nonkululeko Mlaba 2-0-13-0, Masabata Klaas 3-0-23-0, Turni Sekhukhune 30-027-1, Chloe Tryon 3-0-14-1, Annerie Dercksen 2-0-15-0, Nadine de Klerk 2.5-0-27-1 |