Chamari Athapaththu's Splendid Hundred Powers Sri Lanka to Title Win at the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Qualifier

Chamari Athapaththu’s Brilliant Century (102) Leads Sri Lanka to ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Title

Sri Lankas Women's CHAMPIONS of T20 World cup Qualifier © ICC

In a thrilling final at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024, Sri Lanka's skipper Chamari Athapaththu showcased her mastery with a sensational century, leading her team to a resounding victory over Scotland. Athapaththu's magnificent innings of 102 runs, studded with 13 fours and four sixes, was the cornerstone of Sri Lanka's triumph, as they clinched the title in style.

📸 Here are some snapshots from the final match awards ceremony, celebrating our incredible Women in Cricket! #LionessesRoar #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/WcioGjU4kN

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) May 7, 2024

The final, held in Abu Dhabi, saw Scotland's stand-in skipper Sarah Bryce winning the toss and opting to bowl first. The decision seemed promising early on when Priyanaz Chatterji dismissed Vishmi Gunaratne for 9 runs in the third over. However, Athapaththu's brilliance soon took center stage.

Despite early setbacks with Harshita Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari's wickets, Athapaththu held firm and accelerated the scoring rate. Her partnership with Dilhari was crucial in steadying the innings after the initial blows.

Athapaththu's innings gathered momentum as she attacked the Scottish bowlers, particularly in the latter stages of the innings. Her aggressive approach, marked by boundaries and timely sixes, propelled Sri Lanka to a commanding total.

The highlight of Athapaththu's innings was her ability to find boundaries consistently, especially against the spinners. She reached her half-century with a towering six and continued to dominate, reaching her century off just 60 deliveries. This century not only propelled Sri Lanka to a formidable total but also marked a significant milestone as the first century of the tournament.

Despite late wickets falling to Rachel Slater, Sri Lanka had already set a challenging target of 170 runs for Scotland to chase.

Sri Lanka have CLINCHED the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier title with a DOMINATING 68-run victory over Scotland in the finals! 🏆🎉

Now, let's roar all the way to the #T20WorldCup!

#SLvSCO #T20Qualfier #LionessesRoar pic.twitter.com/HsAlptDxEk

— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) May 7, 2024

In response, Scotland's innings got off to a shaky start, losing wickets at regular intervals. Sri Lanka's bowlers, led by Udeshika Prabodhani, kept the pressure on with early breakthroughs. Priyanaz Chatterji's brief resistance with a brisk 30 was not enough to revive Scotland's hopes.

Prabodhani's consistent bowling performance and support from the rest of the bowling unit ensured that Sri Lanka maintained control throughout Scotland's chase. The wickets kept tumbling for Scotland, and they fell short of the target, ending their innings at 101/7.

With this victory, Sri Lanka not only claimed the title but also secured their spot in Group A of the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, alongside powerhouses like Australia, New Zealand, India, and Pakistan.