Imesha Dulani, widely regarded as one of the most promising batters in the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team hit a spectacular unbeaten maiden WT20I century to guide her team to a comprehensive six wickets win against Pakistan in the first Women’s T20 International played at the Rangiri Dambulla Cricket Stadium yesterday.
Opening the batting with her legendary skipper Chamari Athapaththu, Player of the Match Dulani smashed 17 fours and one six in her knock of 101* as Sri Lanka chased down Pakistan’s total of 176-7 to win with an over to spare.
Dulani became only the second Sri Lankan woman to score a T20I hundred after Athapaththu (39 off 22 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) with whom she shared an opening stand of 78 off 43 balls.
Dulani held her end up despite the cheap dismissals of Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama to forge a 52 runs stand off 36 balls with Kavisha Dilhari (11) to bring Sri Lanka within 10 runs of victory.
Pakistan were left to feel that they had let the match slip out of their fingers after dominating the batting powerplay by posting 64-0 in the first six overs. Muneeba Ali contributed 41 of those runs off 22 balls, but soon after the powerplay ended she lost her wicket for 42 off 24 balls (9 fours).
However, her opening partner Shawaal Zulfiqar took control from there onwards scoring 63 off 41 balls (10 fours, 1 six) and with small contributions from the middle and late order Pakistan managed to come up with a challenging total of 176-7.
Pakistan will be pleased with their top order batting, but having gone into the final five overs at 127-2, they might have hoped for more in their last five than the 49 they got.
It was the spinners who bowled well on the wicket with Kaveesha Dilhari claiming 2/36 for Sri Lanka and left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu 2/25 for Pakistan. The second WT20I will be played on Sunday at the same venue. – [ST]
Scores:
Pakistan Women 176-7 (20) (Muneeba Ali 42, Shawaal Zulfiqar 63, Eman Naseer 21, Kavisha Dilhari 2.36) vs. Sri Lanka Women 177-4 (19) (Imesha Dulani 101*, Chamari Athapaththu 39, Nashra Sandhu 2/25)