Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu on Monday scripted history on Monday as she became the first women cricketer to smash a century in the Women’s Asia Cup history. Batting against Malaysia at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Athapaththu scored 119 off 69 deliveries with the help of 14 boundaries and 7 maximums.
Athapaththu carried her bat after hosts Sri Lanka opted to bat first. Her rollicking knock powered the hosts to a mammoth 184/4 in their quota of 20 overs. In reply, Malaysia were bundled out for a mere 40 runs with a ball to spare.
As the Lankan skipper becomes the first cricketer to smash a hundred in the Women’s Asia Cup history, she now possesses the highest individual score after pipping former India captain Mithali Raj. The latter scored an unbeaten 97 against Malaysia in the 2018 edition of the tournament.
Highest individual scores in Women’s T20 Asia Cup
Chamari Athapaththu: 119* vs Malaysia in July 2024
Mithali Raj: 97* vs Malaysia in June 2018
Harshitha Samarawickrama: 81 vs Thailand in October 2022
Jemimah Rodrigues: 76 vs Sri Lanka in October 2022
Jemimah Rodrigues: 75* vs UAE in October 2022
Athapaththu is now the first Sri Lankan cricketer to score a hundred in women’s T20Is. The knock of 119 not-out is her career-best, bettering her 113-run innings against Australia in September 2019. With seven maximums, the Lankan skipper also created the record for scoring the most sixes in an innings in a Women’s Asia Cup match.
Athapaththu is currently the seventh-highest run-scorer in Women’s T20Is after Suzie Bates, Harmanpreet Kaur, Meg Lanning, Smriti Mandhana, Stafanie Taylor and Sophie Devine.
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Sri Lanka beat Malaysia by 144 runs
Sri Lanka Women thrashed Malaysia Women by 144 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024.
Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a formidable 184/4, thanks to Athapaththu’s explosive 119 not out off 69 balls. Harshitha Samarawickrama and Anushka Sanjeewani chipped in with valuable contributions, while Malaysia’s bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught.
In reply, Malaysia Women crumbled, managing just 40 runs in 19.5 overs. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, particularly Shashini Gimhani with 3 wickets for 9 runs, and Kawya Kavindi, who took 2 for 7 followed by Kavisha Dilhari claiming back-to-back wickets, decimated Malaysia’s batting lineup. None of the Malaysian batters except Elsa Hunter reached double figures, highlighting the Sri Lankan team’s dominant performance.
