Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera and Oshadi Ranasinghe combined to dismiss Nepal for the lowest total ever recorded in Women’s T20 Internationals; Nepal made just 23 and the Lankans chased down the target for the loss of 2 wickets in 4.3 overs.
Sri Lanka won the toss and put the minnows in to bat and the decision paid dividends almost immediately as the 1st wicket fell in the 4th over of the game when Kumari had SR Magar caught behind for 4. An extremely disciplined bowling display saw the Lankan lasses conceded just two extras in the 16 overs that they bowled as they tightened the noose on the Nepalese women.
Kumari and Ranaweera picked up 3 wickets a-piece while Ranasinghe captured 2 wickets and 2 of the Nepalese batters were victims of some poor running between the wickets.
Wicketkeeper and opening batter Jyoti Pandey was the only batter to make it to double figures for the Nepalese with 16 as the scorecard featured 8 ducks, which is also incidentally a record in Women’s T20Is. Sri Lanka previously held the record when they registered 4 ducks against England in 2010.
Nepal’s total of 23 all out is now the lowest total in Women’s T20Is, surpassing Bangladesh’s total of 54 which they registered against India, earlier in the tournament.
Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a terrible start, however, as Chamari Atapattu fell in the very 1st over of the game. A target of 24 was never going to be enough for the Nepalese and by the time they dismissed the other opener Yasoda Mendis in the 4th over, the game was all but gone with the Lankans on 21/2. Captain Hasini Perera made 17 off 14 balls to seal the win in just 4.3 overs.
Inoka Ranaweera was named Player of the Match for her performance of 3/3 in 4 overs.
In the other game of the day, Bangladesh defeated hosts Thailand by 35 runs.
