Sri Lanka women’s skipper Chamari Athapaththu says the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 is a platform to showcase the women’s game to the world and show the distance it has come from small beginnings, adding that for Sri Lanka and the team, it was a huge platform. 

Athapaththu went on to note, “We have taken part in many World Cups in the past and each one is a golden opportunity for us.

During the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa last year, we showed signs of being a big tournament team and it was a good outing for us, but unfortunately, we were not able to finish the game off in some close contests, such as when we lost to South Africa by three runs.

We showed glimpses of what we were capable of. It was a good learning experience for all our players.

This time, we arrive in a different zone. Having beaten several top teams during the last 15-month period and winning the T20 Asia Cup, our team has come a long way in T20 cricket.

The upcoming World Cup is going to be crucial for us to make our mark on the world stage.

The Asia Cup was the best achievement in women’s cricket for Sri Lanka so far. We remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, defeating Bangladesh in the first round, Pakistan in the semis and India in the final. All the games were closer and more competitive, making it harder for us to achieve our final goal, which we ultimately did.

Apart from the games, our players were delighted by the crowd support. Most of the games that we played were full house, especially the semis and the final. This was a new situation in Sri Lanka for the women’s game. It was not only good for Sri Lanka but for women’s cricket across the world, as it sends a message to the world about women’s cricket and also the power of empowering women.

This time, I am sure we will get plenty of support in the UAE as there are a lot of Sri Lankans out there. The two venues hosting matches are good cricketing venues and we are extremely happy to play in that environment.

Our squad for this competition is oozing with talent and contains a good combination of experience and youth.

We have Harshitha (Samarawickrama), Vishmi (Gunaratne), and Kavisha (Dilhari), the youngsters, who can win games for us, while on the experienced side we have players like Nilakshi (de Silva) and (Anuksha) Sanjeewani, while on the bowling side we have Inoshi (Priyadharshani), who is making waves in the rankings along with a few others. It’s a good mix, and the team is well-bonded.

We know we cannot take any teams for granted in T20 cricket. A few quick wickets, dot balls or big shots can instantly change the complexion of a game. 

Teams like India, Australia, New Zealand, England and South Africa have proven their mettle in tournaments such as this over many years, so we are aware of the challenges ahead”. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka’s talismanic skipper Chamari Athapaththu beat a hot field by overcoming India’s star openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, to win the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for July 2024.

July was prolific for the southpaw, who secured new landmarks. Athapaththu led Sri Lanka to a maiden Women’s Asia Cup 2024 title over seven-time champions India during the month.

This is the third ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the 34-year-old, making her the joint second-most successful cricketer in the Women’s Player of the Month arena, tied at three awards with West Indies’ Hayley Matthews, sitting behind Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner (four wins).

“I am happy and honored to have been chosen as the ICC Women’s Player of the Month’ for the third time and it is heartening to see such reckoning for the efforts of mine, achieved with the support of my teammates and coaches, being continuously recognised by the cricketing world,” she said.

“I believe these recognitions will send a positive message to thousands of girls who are already playing cricket in my country and also elsewhere and want to play for their country; that commitment and dedication for the game will one day pay off.”

This triumph was yet another feat under Athapaththu’s command in recent times. Over the last 12 months, Sri Lanka have set several milestones under her leadership including first-ever T20I series wins against England and South Africa.

Sri Lanka also featured in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024 in April-May of 2024 in Abu Dhabi and won all their games to qualify for the global mega event in October.

But July was all about Athapaththu’s contribution to the historic Women’s Asia Cup triumph.

She starred with the willow in their undefeated run in the tournament. After making just 12 in Sri Lanka’s first game against Bangladesh, Athapaththu responded in style, hitting a career-best 119* against Malaysia.

An unbeaten 49* against Thailand in the final group game was followed by back-to-back and match-winning fifties against Pakistan (63) and India (61) in the tournament semi-final and final.

Her 304 runs at a healthy strike rate of 146.85 would’ve been enough to secure a Player of the Tournament award, but the skipper also struck three times with the ball, including in the final against India. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka women’s skipper Chamari Athapaththu is among the names shortlisted for the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s Player of the Month awards for July.

The ICC Women’s Player of the Month shortlist contains a decorated trio of international icons who provided plenty of highlights during July’s contests.

According to the ICC, Chamari Athapaththu continues her rich vein of form for Sri Lanka and celebrates another nomination thanks to her dramatic Women’s Asia Cup-winning exploits with the bat on home soil. 

With a number of individual accolades under her belt in recent times, the Sri Lanka captain enjoyed another career-defining moment in July, inspiring her side to a memorable triumph in the Women’s Asia Cup on home soil. 

Athapaththu hit 304 runs during the competition at an average of 101.33 and a strike rate of 146.85, which included a statement, unbeaten 119 against Malaysia and two crucial half-centuries in the latter stages; the first in their tense semi-final victory over Pakistan, and the second as they stunned India to claim their maiden Women’s Asia Cup title, successfully chasing a competitive 166 for victory in Dambulla.

India’s Smriti Mandhana aims to make it back-to-back Women’s Player of the Month awards after ending their Test series against South Africa with more run-scoring success and notable performances in their Women’s Asia Cup campaign, while compatriot Shafali Verma joins her as the final candidate for July’s award, after a record-breaking month at the top of the batting order.

An independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world will now be invited to cast their votes to decide the winners, which will be announced next week. Fans are now able to vote for their favourite performers at icc-cricket.com/awards.

The ICC Player of the Month Voting Process:

The three nominees for either category are shortlisted based on performances from the first to the last day of each calendar month. The shortlist is then voted on by the independent ICC Voting Academy* and fans around the world. The ICC Voting Academy comprises prominent members of the cricket fraternity including well-known journalists, former players, broadcasters and members of the ICC Hall of Fame. The Voting Academy submit their votes by email and hold a 90 per cent share of the vote. Fans registered with the ICC can vote via the ICC website, accounting for the remaining 10 per cent. Winners are announced every second Monday of the month on ICC’s digital channels.

Voting Academy for ICC Player of the Month:

Afghanistan: Javed Hamim; Australia: Daniel Cherny and Lisa Sthalekar; Bangladesh: Mazhar Uddin and Md Ariful Islam Roney; England: Chris Stocks and Lydia Greenway; Ireland: Ger Siggins and Clare Shillington; India: S Gomesh and Shivani Gupta; New Zealand: Craig Cumming; Pakistan: Sawera Pasha and Sana Mir; South Africa: Zaahier Adams and Ashwell Prince; Sri Lanka: Azzam Ameen and Farveez Maharoof; West Indies: Daren Ganga and Stacy Ann King; Zimbabwe: Lawrence Trusida and Grant Flower; Others: Darren Allan Kyeyune and Kyle Coetzer. (Newswire/ ICC)

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Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu has progressed in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings, while Harshita Samarawickrama is back in the top 20, according to the ICC’s latest rankings. 

Left-handed openers Chamari Athapaththu of Sri Lanka and Smriti Mandhana of India have progressed in the ICC Women’s T20I Batting Rankings after some fine performances over the past week in the Women’s Asia Cup played in Dambulla.

Athapaththu scored 49 not out against Bangladesh, 63 against Pakistan in the semifinal and a match-winning 61 off 43 in the final against India to grab a career-best-equalling sixth position.

Mandhana has progressed one spot to take fourth position after scores of 55 not out against Bangladesh in the semifinal and 60 against Sri Lanka in the final, two places shy of her career-best second position. 

Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana has moved up three spots to 14th position, India’s Jemimah Rodrigues is up one place to 18th while Sri Lanka’s Harshita Samarawickrama is back in the top 20 after her Player of the Match effort of 69 not out in the final of the Asia Cup.

Wicketkeepers Muneeba Ali of Pakistan (up six places to 35th) and Nannapat Koncharoenkai of Thailand (up three places to 37th) have also made notable gains while Aliya Riyaz of Pakistan (up two places to 52nd) and Theertha Satish of the United Arab Emirates (up four places to 60th) are among the others to move up the rankings.

In the bowling rankings, Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has moved up one slot to fourth after finishing with four wickets in the semifinal against Sri Lanka while India’s new-ball bowler Renuka Singh is back in the top five following a three-wicket haul against Bangladesh in the other semifinal.

Radha Yadav of India (up seven places to 13th), Udeshika Prabhodhani (up six places to 24th), Sugandhika Kumari (up four places to 27th) and Kavisha Dilhari (up five places to 30th) of Sri Lanka are among the others to move up the bowling rankings.

Dilhari has also moved up 19 places to 96th among batters and advanced 10 places to 17th among all-rounders. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka opener Chamari Athapaththu has made notable progress in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings after some fine performances over the past week.

According to the ICC, Athapaththu’s match-winning knock of 102 against Scotland in the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier has helped the captain move up two places to seventh position among batters, just one off her career-best sixth position attained in April this year.

Athapaththu, currently ranked number one in the ODI batting rankings, has also moved up to fifth among all-rounders in the T20I rankings.

In the latest weekly update, Sri Lanka’s Nilakshi de Silva has moved up two places to 48th in the batting rankings, while Inoshi Fernando moved up five places to 19th and Udeshika Prabhodhani moved up five places to 30th.

England bowler Sarah Glenn’s haul of four for 12 and Lauren Bell’s figures of three for 22 in the first of their three-match series against Pakistan in Birmingham saw them move up to fourth and seventh positions respectively, Bell moving past 700 rating points for the first time in her career.

England’s 53-run win in Birmingham also resulted in several other gains for the home team’s players. Captain Heather Knight, whose knock of 49 led to a remarkable recovery from 11 for four, has advanced four places to 18th position. 

Player of the Match Amy Jones, who smashed 37 off 27 balls at her home ground in her 100th T20I appearance, has moved up three places to 26th.

In the latest weekly update that also considers performances in the last T20I of the five-match bilateral series in Bangladesh that India won 5-0, India’s left-arm spinner Radha Yadav has moved up seven places to 23rd position after her three-wicket haul, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur (up three places to 13th), Richa Ghosh (up two places to 23rd) and Dayalan Hemlatha (up 298 places to 78th) are among others to progress.

Papua New Guinea’s Tanya Ruma (up three places to joint-27th), Zimbabwe’s Modester Mupachikwa (up two places to 41st) and Sri Lanka’s Nilakshi de Silva (up two places to 48th) are among others to move up the batting rankings while Sri Lanka’s Inoshi Fernando (up five places to 19th), Bangladesh’s Marufa Akter (up two places to 27th) and Sri Lanka’s Udeshika Prabhodhani (up five places to 30th) have progressed in the bowling rankings. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s women’s cricket team skipper, Chamari Athapaththu has hinted at her possible retirement from the sport of cricket.

Speaking to the media in South Africa, Athapaththu revealed she believes her retirement is ‘very soon’. 

She, however, stopped short of mentioning details of her retirement, stating that she could not mention the exact dates. 

The Sri Lanka women’s cricket team skipper went on to heap praise on her young team.

Chamari Athapaththu said she hopes to see her young team win the women’s World Cup one day. (Newswire)

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) today completed announcements of the five ICC Teams of the Year across formats for men and women as part of the ICC Awards 2023.

The announcement of the five teams – the ICC Men’s and Women’s T20I Teams of the Year, the ICC Men’s and Women’s ODI Teams of the Year and the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year – were made in a staggered manner over Monday and Tuesday and feature players from 11 teams selected on the basis of international performances through the calendar year.

Teams were identified from selections submitted by the specialist panel of media representatives that make up the ICC Voting Academy. The esteemed panel made their selections based on player performances during the calendar year, nominating their playing eleven to include a captain and a wicketkeeper.

The ICC Awards 2023 announcements will continue Wednesday and Thursday, when 13 individual award winners will be declared.

ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year:

1. Usman Khawaja (Aus)
2. Dimuth Karunaratne (SL)
3. Kane Williamson (NZ)
4. Joe Root (Eng)
5. Travis Head (Aus)
6. Ravindra Jadeja (Ind)
7. Alex Carey (WK, Aus)
8. Pat Cummins (Capt, Aus)
9. R Ashwin (Ind)
10. Mitchell Starc (Aus)
11. Stuart Broad (Eng)

Pat Cummins has been named as the captain of the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year after leading his side to the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) title and finishing the year with 42 wickets at an average of 27.50 with three five-wicket hauls.

His fellow fast bowler Mitchell Starc has also been picked, as have been three other Australians, making them the most represented nation in the Test team. Opener Usman Khawaja, the only player to pass 1,000 Test runs in 2023 walks into the Test side for a second successive year with 1,210 runs at an average of 52.60 and three centuries. Travis Head, Player of the Match in the WTC Final, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey are the other Australia players named in the team.

India spinner R Ashwin, the No. 1 bowler in the ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings, and former England captain Joe Root, who are in the running for the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year award along with Khawaja and Head, are also in the team. England and India have two players each with the selection of Ravindra Jadeja and Stuart Broad.

Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne partners Khawaja atop the order, with New Zealand star Kane Williamson claiming the number three batting spot, as five international teams have representation in the Test team.

ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year:

1. Phoebe Litchfield (Aus)
2. Chamari Athapaththu (Capt, SL)
3. Ellyse Perry (Aus)
4. Amelia Kerr (NZ)
5. Beth Mooney (WK, Aus)
6. Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng)
7. Ash Gardner (Aus)
8. Annabel Sutherland (Aus)
9. Nadine de Klerk (SA)
10. Lea Tahuhu (NZ)
11. Nahida Akter (Ban)

The Australian dominance in Women’s ODI cricket is reflected in the team with five players featuring in it including rookie Phoebe Litchfield. Not having played an ODI before 2023, the 20-year-old opener made a huge impact in her first 13 matches, scoring 485 runs at an average of 53.88 and a strike rate of 81.92. She is a strong contender for the ICC Emerging Women’s Player of the Year award.

Ellyse Perry and wicketkeeper-batter Beth Mooney make the team after scoring over 400 runs each during the calendar year while Ash Gardner and Annabel Sutherland make it on the strength of performances with both bat and ball.

Left-handed opener Chamari Athapaththu, for long the batting mainstay for Sri Lanka, has been named captain of the side after scoring 415 runs in just eight matches at an average of 69.16 and a strike-rate of 125.37. Nat Sciver Brunt’s batting average of 131 in six matches earns her the number six slot.

New Zealand are the only other side apart from Australia to have more than one player in the Women’s ODI team as all-rounder Amelia Kerr and fast bowler Lea Tahuhu have both made it. All-rounder Nadine de Klerk of South Africa and Bangladesh’s left-arm spinner Nahida Akter complete the team.

Men’s ODI Team of the Year: 

1. Rohit Sharma (Capt, Ind)
2. Shubman Gill (Ind)
3. Travis Head (Aus)
4. Virat Kohli (Ind)
5. Daryl Mitchell (NZ)
6. Heinrich Klaasen (WK, SA)
7. Marco Jansen (SA)
8. Adam Zampa (Aus)
9. Mohammed Siraj (Ind)
10. Kuldeep Yadav (Ind)
11. Mohammed Shami (Ind)

Top-ranked ODI side India had a superb run last year and won all their matches in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup before losing to Australia in the final. Their consistency is reflected in the selection of six players in the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year including both openers and a pair of fast bowlers.

The top three ODI run accumulators in 2023 – Shubman Gill (1,584 runs), Virat Kohli (1,377) and Rohit Sharma (1,255), who are currently ranked from second to fourth in the batting rankings – have been picked for three of the top four batting positions.

Head, who was named Player of the Match for a 120-ball 137 in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad, gets the number three position while New Zealand’s Daryl Mitchell is the number five batter. South Africa wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen is selected after notching 927 runs and accounting for 20 dismissals.

Wrist spinners Adam Zampa of Australia and Kuldeep Yadav of India have been named along with a seam attack that consists of Mohammad Shami (43 wickets in 2023) and Mohammad Siraj (44 wickets) of India and all-rounder Marco Jansen of South Africa.

Women’s T20I Team of the Year: 

1. Chamari Athapaththu (Capt, SL)
2. Beth Mooney (WK, Aus)
3. Laura Wolvaardt (SA)
4. Hayley Matthews (WI)
5. Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng)
6. Amelia Kerr (NZ)
7. Ellyse Perry (Aus)
8. Ash Gardner (Aus)
9. Deepti Sharma (Ind)
10. Sophie Ecclestone (Eng)
11. Megan Schutt (Aus)

Athapaththu has the distinction of being named captain of both the ODI and T20I squads while Mooney, Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, Ellyse Perry and Ash Gardner are other players to make both women’s squads for the year.

Fourth in the list of batting aggregate with 470 runs at a strike rate of over 130, the Sri Lankan captain also grabbed eight wickets with her off-spin to take the first spot in the team with Mooney named to partner her at the top of the order.

Two more international captains – Hayley Matthews of the West Indies and Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa – also make it after remarkable years. Matthews was the most prolific with 700 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 132.32 while also grabbing 19 wickets. Wolvaardt scored 586 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 108.51.

Top-ranked Sophie Ecclestone’s 23 wickets in the year and third-ranked Deepti Sharma’s 21 wickets see them clinch the two spinners’ slots while Australia fast bowler Megan Schutt, ranked second, is the fourth Australian in the team, also having 21 scalps to show from last year.

Men’s T20I Team of the Year:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal (Ind)
2. Phil Salt (Eng)
3. Nicholas Pooran (WK, WI)
4. Suryakumar Yadav (Capt, Ind)
5. Mark Chapman (NZ)
6. Sikandar Raza (Zim)
7. Alpesh Ramjani (Uga)
8. Mark Adair (Ire)
9. Ravi Bishnoi (Ind)
10. Richard Ngarava (Zim)
11. Arshdeep Singh (Ind)

Top-ranked India have four players in the Men’s T20I squad with flamboyant batter Suryakumar Yadav named captain. Yadav topped the runs chart with 733 runs in 18 matches at a strike rate of 155.95 to consolidate his position at the top of the rankings.

The next three in the list of run scorers the past year – Mark Chapman of New Zealand (576 runs), Zimbabwe star Sikandar Raza (515) and upcoming India batter Yashasvi Jaisal (430) – were automatic choices while Phil Salt of England and Nicholas Pooran of the West Indies too had enough to stake claims.

Uganda’s Alpesh Ramjani became the first from his country to be named in an ICC Team of the Year when the left-handed all-rounder made it this year after scoring 449 runs and grabbing 55 wickets with his slow bowling. Ramjani is in contention for the Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year award as well as being eligible for the ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year.

Ireland have a representative in Mark Adair as do Zimbabwe in Richard Ngarava. India’s leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and left-arm seam bowler Arshdeep Singh also make the team on the back of some fine international performances during 2023.

The individual awards will be announced on Wednesday and Thursday as per schedule announced in the media release here. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka women’s skipper Chamari Athapaththu has been named as the Captain of the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year for 2023.

According to the ICC, the veteran Sri Lankan started the year with a Player of the Match performance in Cape Town in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, smashing 68 off 50 balls to help Sri Lanka beat South Africa by three runs. 

The big upset win set the tone for a remarkable year for Sri Lanka women and Athapaththu was at the forefront of it all.

She finished with 470 runs in the year, scoring at a quicker-than-usual strike rate of 130.91. With 15 sixes in the year, she also hit a personal high in Women’s T20Is.

In the second half of the year, Athapaththu hit a purple patch, recording an unbeaten 80 in 47 balls in Colombo to help Sri Lanka pull back a win in the three-match series against New Zealand. 

Athapaththu’s assault blew the White Ferns attack away as Sri Lanka went on to chase 141 with all 10 wickets to spare. 

She then went on to play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s series triumph over England in England.

The remaining members of the team are Beth Mooney (wk) (Australia), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Nat Sciver-Brunt (England), Amelia Kerr (New Zealand), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Ash Gardner (Australia), Deepti Sharma (India), Sophie Ecclestone (England), and Megan Schutt (Australia).

Read more : https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/world-cup-stars-dominate-icc-women-s-t20i-team-of-the-year-for-2023 (NewsWire/ ICC)

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Sri Lanka women’s star cricketer Chamari Athapaththu has been picked as the Player of the Tournament at the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).

Chamari Athapaththu continued her stellar performance in the sport of cricket, scoring 511 runs at an average of 42.58 and picking 9 wickets in the WBBL.

Opening bat Athapaththu, who has been in outstanding form for Sri Lanka throughout 2023, was picked as a replacement player for the Sydney Thunders. 

Having been picked by the Sydney Thunders for this Weber WBBL season, Athapaththu joined their ranks as a fourth overseas player.

Chamari Athapaththu first played in the WBBL in 2017 with Melbourne Renegades before switching allegiances in WBBL|07 to Perth Scorchers.

Now representing the Sydney Thunders, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Attapattu put on a stellar performance that included 17 sixes, and has been crowned the player of the tournament. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu has become the first player from her country to top the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings after starring in a 2-1 series win over New Zealand in the ICC Women’s Championship.

The left-handed opener has thus emulated Sanath Jayasuriya, who is the only Sri Lanka player to top the ODI batting rankings for men, for 181 days between September 2002 and May 2003.

Athapaththu’s two centuries in three matches have lifted her six places, overtaking the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Meg Lanning and Laura Wolvaardt and displacing Australia’s Beth Mooney, who was at the top of the batting charts since 10 May. 

Athapaththu won ‘player of the match’ awards for her 108 not out off 83 balls in the first match and 140 not out off 80 in the final match. She was also named ‘player of the series’, making a rapid rise from seventh position, her previous career-best ranking.

Only two other Sri Lanka players have reached number one position in the women’s rankings, both in the year 2014 – left-arm seam bowler Udeshika Prabodhani (T20I bowling) and Shashikala Siriwardene (T20I all-rounders).

Athapaththu, who has scored all her country’s top 10 individual scores in women’s ODIs, is currently at the highest-ever points tally by a Sri Lanka woman in ODIs with 758 rating points. The next best is just 587 by Dedunu Silva, who also has the next highest-ranking, reaching 11th position in April 2010. 

Other Sri Lanka players to advance are Kavisha Dilhari (up 19 places to 37th among batters) and Prabodhani (up 14 places to 32nd among bowlers).

Meanwhile, New Zealand captain Sophie Devine has shot up six places to 13th after smashing a match-winning 137 in the second ODI of the series in Galle. 

In the latest rankings update, which also considers performances in the ICC Women’s Championship series in the Caribbean in which the West Indies prevailed 2-0 over Ireland, Ireland opener Gaby Lewis has progressed five places to 21st after her unbeaten 95 in the final match.

For the West Indies, Shamilia Cornell (up four places to joint-24th) and Afy Fletcher (up 14 places to 32nd) have moved up the bowlers’ list.

In the T20I rankings, Sophie Dunkley (up four places to 16th) and Amy Jones (up one places to 25th) have moved up the batting rankings after the first match of the England-New Zealand series while Sarah Glenn (up one place to third) and Jess Jonassen (up four places to 18th) have moved up the bowling rankings. (ICC)

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Sri Lanka Women skipper Chamari Athapaththu has achieved a rare feat, becoming the first player to outscore the opposition total while chasing in a limited-over international cricket match (men/women).

Chamari Athapaththu achieved the record in the third ODI match against New Zealand, which Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets in Galle yesterday sealing the three-match series 2-0. 

Chasing New Zealand’s target of 127 runs, Sri Lanka posted 196 for 2 as per the Duckworth and Lewis method due to rain interruption. 

Sri Lanka skipperChamari Athapaththu steered the team to victory helping post a total of 196 for 2, out of which she scored 140 runs in 80 balls making her the first player to outscore the opposition total in an ODI. (NewsWire)

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Australia opener Alyssa Healy and Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu are among the batters to gain in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings while Australia all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner has made significant movement among bowlers in the latest weekly update.

Healy’s knock of 55 against New Zealand has lifted her two places to seventh while Athapaththu, who is the highest scorer in the tournament so far with 83 runs that includes a match-winning 68 in a memorable victory over South Africa, sees her gain one spot to reach ninth position.

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews (up four places to 18th), Ireland’s Gaby Lewis (up two places to 22nd) and Australia’s Ellyse Perry (up four places to 25th) are among others to gain in the update, that considers performances in the first seven matches of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.

Performers in the India-Pakistan match have made substantial gains too. Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof has advanced three slots to reach 30th position after her unbeaten 68 while the Indian pair of Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh have progressed after guiding India to victory. Rodrigues has moved from 13th to 11th after her unbeaten 52 while Ghosh is up from 42nd to 36th following her 31 not out.

South Africa’s Chloe-Tryon (up three places to 37th), England’s Alice Capsey (up 13 places to 38th) and Sri Lanka’s Harshitha Samarawickrama (up nine places to 43rd) have also made notable progress.

In the bowling rankings, spinners Sophie Ecclestone of England and Nonkululeko Mlaba of South Africa have consolidated their positions as the top two. Ecclestone, who is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with six wickets, has moved from 763 to 776 rating points while Mlaba has gained 17 rating points to reach 770 rating points.

Meanwhile, Gardner has jumped seven places to sixth position after winning the Player of the Match award for her haul of five for 12 against New Zealand. She remains the top all-rounder in the format while Hayley Matthews and New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr have inched up a place each to third and fourth positions.

England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn is has moved up to third position while former Sri Lanka captain Inoka Ranaweera has advanced 11 places to 10th. Fran Jones, Alana King, Amelia Kerr, Darcie Brown, Nashra Sundhu, Radha Yadav and Oshadi Ranasinghe are among others to progress.

For more information on player rankings, please click here. (ICC)

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