Sri Lanka 114 for 3 (Gunaratne 51, Samarawickrama 33, Nahida 3-12) beat Bangladesh 111 for 8 (Nigar 48*, Shorna 25, Priyadharshani 2-17, Prabodhani 2-20) by seven wickets
In a thrilling start to their Women’s T20 Asia Cup campaign, hosts Sri Lanka secured a seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in Dambulla on Saturday.
Opting to bat first, Bangladesh faced a tough start, losing three wickets for just six runs. Their struggles continued as they slumped to 17/4 and then 48/5. Skipper Nigar Sultana provided some stability with a resilient 48 off 59 balls, which included six boundaries.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers dominated the innings, with Udeshika Prabodhani (2/20) and Inoshi Priyadharshani (2/17) spearheading the attack. Sugandika Kumari, Kavisha Dilhari, and Chamari Athapaththu also chipped in with one wicket each, restricting Bangladesh to a modest 111 for eight.
Chasing 112 for victory, Sri Lanka was led by opener Vishmi Gunaratne, who scored a brilliant 51 off 48 balls, including seven fours and a six. Harshitha Samarawickrama supported well with 33 off 31 balls, helping Sri Lanka reach the target with 17 balls to spare. Nahida Akter was the standout bowler for Bangladesh, taking 3/12 in her four overs.
Thailand Defeats Malaysia by 22 Runs
In the first match of the day, Thailand emerged victorious over Malaysia by 22 runs. Batting first, Thailand posted 133 for six, with wicketkeeper Nannapat Koncharoenkai top-scoring with 40 off 35 balls, and Phannita Maya contributing 29 off 28 deliveries. Mahirah Izzati Ismail was Malaysia’s best bowler, finishing with 3/16 in her four overs.
Despite a half-century from opener Wan Julia (52 off 53 balls) and a 68-run first-wicket partnership with captain Winifred Duraisingam (22 off 28 balls), Malaysia’s batting collapsed, ending at 111 for eight in 20 overs. Thailand’s disciplined bowling performance secured them the win.
