Captain Chamari Athapaththu starred with the bat as Sri Lanka produced an inspiring performance to stun hosts South Africa by three runs in the opening match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at Newlands here. Athapaththu led from the front with a 50-ball 68 (12x4), Sri Lanka's highest-ever individual score at the showpiece event on Friday night.
Having set South Africa 130 to win, Sri Lankan spinners took control with guile and discipline to restrict the hosts for 126 for nine. It was Sri Lanka's first T20I victory over South Africa since 2016. Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne (35 off 34b; 4x4) put on 86 for the second wicket, Sri Lanka's highest partnership for any wicket at the T20 World Cup, to lay the base for the team's total.
Brief Scores
Sri Lanka 129 for four in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 68, Vishmi Gunaratne 35; Nadine De Klerk 1/38, Marizanne Kapp 1/15) beat South Africa 126 for nine in 20 overs (Sune Luus 28, Laura Wolvaardt 18; Inoka Ranaweera 3/18, Oshadi Ranasinghe 2/20)