- Vows to aim for a top-two finish in group
- Ambidextrous Gimhani out with injury
Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket Team Captain Chamari Athapaththu put things into perspective and stated that winning a World Cup (WC) was not as easy as purchasing an item from a boutique, but insisted that her side would do their utmost to bring home the silverware.
She made this down-to-earth comment addressing the media during a team photo session before heading off to England in the early hours of Wednesday (3) to contest the 12-team-strong International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales from 12 June to 5 July.
“As you all know, winning a World Cup is not as easy as buying an item from a shop,” Athapaththu, who is set to feature in her 10th ICC T20 World Cup, told reporters at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
“If it was so easy, then I would jump at the chance and buy it. But jokes aside, this is not going to be a joyride for us. We know the challenge that is before us. Our recent track record is not impressive in this particular tournament, and so it is up to us to rectify that run.”
The 36-year-old left-handed opener, who is her team’s most experienced player, was under no illusion as to the task facing her charges, and refused to signal out one side as being particularly dangerous over the rest.
“In this particular format of the game, you cannot predict who will be favourites,” the skipper remarked.
“It is made in such a way that all pre-match predictions could go out of the window in an instant. So we are bracing ourselves for all eventualities, and we will be leaving everything out on the field.”
Athapaththu accepted the fact that her country’s overall record in the tournament did not instil much confidence in her players, with the island nation’s last triumph being a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh during the 2023 edition in South Africa.
However, she took optimism from their recent twin bilateral white-ball series (ODIs and T20Is) success against both the West Indies and Bangladesh away from home, and emphasised that they were not flying out to England to make up the numbers.
Sri Lanka is due to step out from Group B during the three-week long event, alongside England, Ireland, defending champions New Zealand, Scotland, and the West Indies.
Group A is set to feature Australia, Bangladesh, India, the Netherlands, Pakistan, and South Africa, with the top two sides from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
She noted that being grouped alongside both title-holders New Zealand and hosts England would ultimately be to her side’s benefit, as she felt that they were two of the pace setters in this format of the game.
The Women’s Team Captain also spoke of the positive impact made by the new Head Coach, Australian Jamie Siddons, since joining their backroom staff from the Bangladesh series early this year.
However, Athapaththu added that losing talented 17-year-old left-arm wrist spinner Shashini Gimhani to injury on the eve of the tournament would be a setback, but stated that her place had been given to fast bowler Chethana Vimukthi.
“Our pace attack is good, and with the spin options we have, we are aiming to finish within the first two of our group to qualify for the next round. In any World Cup, what matters is the very first game, which is against England on 12 June. So all our energies are directed towards that,” she said.
SL squad for ICC Women’s T20 WC
Chamari Athapaththu (Captain), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunaratne, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Madushani, Chethana Vimukthi, Kawya Kavindi, Malki Madara, and Mithali Ayodhya
Box
ICC Women’s T20 WC 2026: SL fixtures
- 12 June: vs. England – Edgbaston, Birmingham
- 16 June: vs. New Zealand – Hampshire Bowl, Southampton
- 21 June: vs. West Indies – Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 23 June: vs. Ireland – Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 26 June: vs. Scotland – Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester