5 July 2023 11:05 am Views - 380
Chamari Athapaththu
Women’s Cricket captain Chamari Athapaththu became only the second Sri Lankan to ascend to the top of the International Cricket Council’s One Day International batting ranking, rewarded for her excellent series-winning form against New Zealand Women.
Athapaththu jumped six placed to usurp Beth Mooney as the best ODI batter in the Women’s game, on the back of two centuries that helped Sri Lanka Women beat New Zealand Women in international cricket for the first time.
Incidentally, she follow Sanath Jayasuriya, whom Athapaththu has previously said inspired her batting approach as a child, as the only Sri Lanka’s to reach the top of the ICC ODI batting rankings.
She scored an unbeaten 108 in the first ODIof the three-match series, before smashing 140 not out off just 80 deliveries in the rain affected third ODI in which Sri Lanka were set a revised target of 196 in 29 overs.
It led the way for Sri Lanka to record a 2-1 series win over New Zealand, the highest profile opponent they have beaten in Women’s ODIs.
The two centuries also took Athapaththu passed 3000 ODI runs, the only Sri Lankan Women to reach that milestone, and eight ODI tons, tied for fourth most in Women’s cricket.
Sri Lanka also moved to second in the ICC Women’s Championship table with 10 points, tied with Pakistan and New Zealand, although having played three ODIs more.
Sri Lanka will next travel to England for a bilateral ODI and T20I series in September this year.