Confident Sri Lanka eye T20 World Cup spot

Sri Lanka are early Group ‘A’ and tournament favourites

Sri Lanka will take on Thailand in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Group ‘A’ opening match at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) today. 
Chamari Atapattu’s Sri Lanka are early Group ‘A’ and tournament favourites, coming into the tournament with a bilateral series win over T20 World Cup 2023 finalists South Africa. 
The side was also Asian Games finalists, only falling to India in the competition final.
Sri Lanka defeated Thailand in that Asian Games run, with the T20 World Cup 2020 participants again in the mix for a qualification spot. 
The Thais’ bowling and fielding remains their strength, led by spinner Nattaya Boochatham who boasts 116 T20I wickets, the most for a player at the tournament.
Boochatham’s batting contribution will prove vital, though the side to this point looks to Nannapat Koncharoenkai for the bulk of their runs, and Nattakan Chantham if she can find her groove.
In the last two meetings between the two teams, Sri Lanka beat Thailand by eight wickets in September last year having triumphed by 49 runs in October 2022. 
Thailand however, will look to draw inspiration from their historic four-wicket first-ever win over Sri Lanka in the 2018 Asia Cup fixture played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 
Sri Lanka will take the field brimming with confidence having recorded back-to-back victories in their two warm-up matches against the Netherlands and Vanuatu. 
Their top-order shone even in the absence of Skipper Atapattu against the Netherlands, with Vishmi Gunaratne and Hansima Karunaratne both scoring 49. 
Inoka Ranaweera (2/13) and Kavisha Dilhari (2/9) then delivered with the ball in an easy 63-run win.
In the next game, Sri Lanka’s 15-year-old sensation Shashini Gimhani led the bowling charts with three for 12 as Vanuatu were bowled out for 58 – a total Sri Lanka crossed in 8.2 overs for a nine-wicket win.
At the age of 16 years and 149 days, right-handed batter Vishmi Gunaratne made history by becoming the youngest player to represent Sri Lanka in a Women’s T20I match in 2022.
If Gimhani, currently 15 years and 124 days old, gets the opportunity to play in the Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier, she would break that record.
Meanwhile, Thailand got a good work over despite losing both their warm-up fixtures. In their first match against the UAE, Captain Naruemol Chaiwai scored a resilient 39 but they could only post 106 for seven. UAE overhauled that target with relative ease.
Thailand picked up their game in the next encounter against the Netherlands. Suleeporn Laomi’s three for 14 in the first innings held the Dutch to 115 before a plucky batting effort nearly pulled off a win. 
However, a slide late in the game led to scores being tied – Netherlands kept their calm to win the Super Over.
Sri Lanka Women’s Squad: Chamari Atapattu (Captain), Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshi de Silva, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya, Hansima Karunaratne, Kawya Kavindi, Inoshi Fernando, Sugandika Kumari, Sashini Gimhani.
Thailand Women’s Squad: Naruemol Chaiwai (Captain), Thipatcha Putthawong), Nannapat Khoncharoenkai, Suwanan Khiaoto, Chanida Sutthiruang, Nattaya Boochatham, Natthakan Chantham, Rosenanee Kanoh, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Suleeporn Laomi, Phannita Maya, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Nannaphat Chaihan, Chayanisa Phengpaen. 
(ICC)