Can the Lankan women emulate the men?

 Head coach Hashan Tillakaratne chats with Sri Lanka Women’s cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu at practice.

• Leave today for Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Bangladesh

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Kaushani Nuthyangana

Madushika Methtananda

Tharika Sewwandi

No one in their wildest dreams gave the Sri Lanka men’s team an outside chance of winning the Asia

Cup in the UAE, but they did the impossible to prove everyone wrong. 

The same sentiments can be expressed with the Sri Lanka women’s team that is leaving today for Bangladesh to participate in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup which will run from 1-16 October.

Of the seven nations that are participating only India and Pakistan stand in the way of Sri Lanka laying their hands on the Women’s T20 Asia Cup title. 

The men’s team defeated both of these countries on their way towards the crown and it is with great anticipation that everybody is looking forward to our women cricketers led by star all-rounder Chamari Athapaththu emulating them.

“If we take it match by match and if we can control ourselves in difficult situations, I am sure we can win the tournament. As coach I am confident that the girls can do the changes,” said head coach Hashan Tillakaratne, the former Sri Lanka Test captain.

“It’s all to do with self-belief because they are technically and practically very sound. But unfortunately when they go onto the field our fielding has really let us down. At crucial moments we miss chances. I am sure we would have won one or two series against India and against Pakistan if not for the dropped catches at crucial junctures which cost us the match,” said Tillakaratne, one of the best close-in fielders Sri Lanka has produced.

“All the top fielders are dropping catches. It’s the focus and the mindset on the field. When there is a pressurised situation they can’t cope up with it. That is one reason why they falter. The self-belief has to be there. We have been working on it and we are talking to them and encouraging them. That’s the only way they can come out of it.”

To give the 15-member squad strong competition Sri Lanka Cricket arranged for them to play matches against Under 17 boys’ teams in real match situations at Panagoda.  

“We played a few practice games against the boys under 17 team to give them some competition and we managed to beat them. We played the matches like in an international atmosphere with Sri Lanka Cricket umpires and scorers. Our dot ball percentage has come down to between 50 and 45. That’s a huge jump from 65. Also, I think we have the best spin bowling attack in the world. If we can bowl well and manage those crucial situations and hold onto those catches at crucial moments, then we can be victorious,” said Tillakaratne.

The head coach lamented the lack of strong competition in the women’s domestic structure. “We play six or seven games before selection and the players haven’t learnt anything from those games. They are learning everything through trial and error playing against international sides. Right now with the blessings of SLC, we are playing lots of games against boys under 17 sides. The competition level is high and the girls are facing a lot of pressure situations. If we can continue like this for another six months, then I am sure we will get more positive results.”

Tillakaratne accepted the fact that an enormous responsibility lay on the shoulders of the captain Chamari, for it has been proved in the past that if she fires on all cylinders only Sri Lanka can emerge victorious.    

“There is too much pressure on Chamari to deliver. It has been the trend in our women’s cricket. There are so many talented players but they need to believe in themselves that they are good enough to play in this arena. I am sure in time to come they will step up and do the needful,” said Tillakaratne. “There are a few good batters like Harshitha (Samarawickrama), Hasini (Perera), Nilakshi de Silva who has been very consistent throughout, Kavisha Dilhari and Kaushini Nuthyanga, a schoolgirl from Anula Vidyalaya who has been very consistent throughout our practice games.”

Sri Lanka has made three changes to the side that lost all three matches at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in July. 

Vishmi Gunaratne, Ama Kanchana and Udeshika Prabodhani have been replaced by Kaushani Nuthyangana, Madushika Methtananda and Tharika Sewwandi.

“Vishmi is having a very bad back injury. We don’t want to risk because she is probably captaining our under-19 side for the World Cup in 2023 January. We are resting her and hope she will be available for the Bangladesh series at home and the T20 World Cup,” said Tillakaratne.

“We are managing her very carefully that’s why she is not in the 15. They have done an MRI on her and there are no stress fractures. She has been asked to rest. She is only 17 and we need to manage her very carefully. Ama Kanchana was dropped due to poor performance and UD (Udeshika) has been rested because of a swollen knee. We didn’t want to risk her because of the T20 World Cup in February.”

Nuthyangana (20) will deputise for Anushka Sanjeewani behind the stumps, 21-year-old Sewwandi will fill the left-arm seamer spot vacated by Prabodhani, while Methtananda is in line to make her only her second appearance for Sri Lanka having made her first in 2019.

As head coach, Tillakaratne said there are moments of frustration when mistakes are made on the field, but added, “On the other hand when you are dealing with females you have to be very patient with them and handle them with care. If you put undue pressure on them they crack very easily.”

Following the T20 Asia Cup, the women cricketers will play a home series against Bangladesh Women in January comprising three WT20Is and three WODIs before travelling to South Africa for the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup from 9-26 February 2023.

SRI LANKA SQUAD FOR WOMEN’S T20 ASIA CUP

 Chamari Athapaththu (Captain), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kaveesha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeevani (wk), Kaushini Nuthyangana, Oshadhi Ranasinghe, Malsha Shehani, Madushika Meththananda, Inoka Ranaweera, Rashmi Silva, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasooriya, Tharika Sewwandi.

SRI LANKA FIXTURES

1 Oct: v India (1.30 pm)

2 Oct: v UAE (1.30 pm)

4 Oct: v Thailand (9 am)

8 Oct: v Malaysia (9 am)

10 Oct: v Bangladesh (9 am)

11 Oct: v Pakistan (1.30 pm)

13 Oct: Semi-finals (9 am and 1.30 pm)

15 Oct: Final (1.30 pm)