Monday Mar 23, 2026
Monday Mar 23, 2026
Tuesday, 3 March 2026 04:11 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
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| Chamari Athapaththu (39 and 2/13) |
Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead in the three-match Women’s T20I series over the West Indies when they won the second match by 4 wickets in Grenada on Sunday. The first match of the series was washed out due to rain with West Indies being bowled out for 49 in an 18-over contest.
It wasn’t a commanding win for Sri Lanka. Put in to bat, the West Indies managed only 101-9, but tested Sri Lanka in the chase. It could have been trickier if it wasn’t for Player of the Match Chamari Athapaththu’s early blitz, adding to her contribution with the ball.
Athapaththu shared the new ball - just like she had in the rained-out first T20I - conceding nine runs off her first five balls, before handing Sri Lanka their first breakthrough. She slipped one past Qiana Joseph’s wild swipe to rattle her off-stump, claiming her first T20I wicket in the Caribbean since 2018. Jahzara Claxton fell next - in the final over of the Powerplay - attempting to take on Malki Madara, with two fielders - Vishmi Gunaratne and Kavisha Dilhari - almost colliding at cover to take the catch.
From that point on, captain Hayley Matthews took it upon herself to rebuild alongside Stafanie Taylor: by the end of 10 overs, the West Indies had ambled to 45-2. Matthews was eventually out for 28 ending up as West Indies’ top scorer of the innings.
No.11 batter Karishma Ramharack’s desperation for a second run saw her out obstructing the field. Replays showed that Ramharack tried to block the throw at her end, bringing an eventful end to the West Indies’ slow-burn innings. Incidentally, less than two weeks ago, Deandra Dottin had also been dismissed for obstruction in the ODI series.
Athapaththu set the tone for the chase with 39 off 26 balls (7 fours, 1 six). At 45-0 in six overs, Sri Lanka looked set to quickly wrap it up. Fellow opener Hasini Perera (18) shared an opening stand of 62 with Athapaththu. But the West Indies weren’t going down without a fight.
Sri Lanka lost Athapaththu and Perera and were soon five down for 74 and the chase started to look wobbly. But the West Indies just did not have enough runs to properly challenge Sri Lanka. Although Vishimi Gunaratne was dismissed in the 17th over with 11 needed off 19, Kavisha Dilhari ensured Sri Lanka went through without any more drama.
The third and final match will take place at the same venue today.
n1st Women’s T20I: No Result (rain)
West Indies Women 49 (13.3) (Malki Madara 2/9, Sugandika Kumari 2/8, Inoka Ranaweera 2/16, Kavisha Dilhari 3/5)
Sri Lanka Women 7-0 (2.5)
n 2nd Women’s T20I: Sri Lanka beat West Indies by 4 wickets
West Indies Women 101-9 (20) (Hayley Matthews 28, Stafanie Taylor 14, Malki Madara 3/16, Chamari Athapaththu 2/13, Nilakshika Silva 3/20)
Sri Lanka Women 102-6 (18.1) (Hasini Perera 18, Chamari Athapaththu 39, Kavisha Dilhari 18*, Qiana Joseph 2/13, Afy Fletcher 2/16)
