AT THE SAG GAMES
Despite Umesha Thimashini’s record feat of claiming 4 wickets in one over, the Sri Lanka Women’s Team was upstaged by Bangladesh by 2 runs in a nail biting finish to the final of the women’s tournament of the 2019 South Asian Games at Pokhara, Nepal on Sunday. After Sri Lanka had put Bangladesh in to bat on winning the toss, Umesha struck in her second over and the seventh over of the match with her 4-wicket strike which reduced Bangladesh to 36 for 5. But they fought back to end on 91 for 8 in 20 overs with Nigar Sultana making a defiant unbeaten 29 off 38 and Sanjida Islam and Fahima Khatun chipping in with 15 runs apiece. Bangladesh owed their victory to the seventh wicket alliance of 30 runs between Nigar Sultana and Fahima Khatun.
Sri Lanka’s run chase was once again sustained by the inform skipper Harshitha Madavi who made 32 off 33 balls inclusive of 4 boundaries to revive an early collapse when the side was 3 for 14 and 4 for 30. When she departed with the total on 53 in the first ball of the 14th over, Sri Lanka was still in with a chance reaching 76 for 6 after 17.1 overs following a valiant effort by No.6 batter Lihini Apsara who contributed 22 of the 23 runs realised for the sixth wicket between D.P.G.J. Wijenayake. But Sri Lanka lost their way with both Apsara and No.7 S. Sandamini being run out, first the latter with the total on 81 and Apsara with the total on 88 in the fourth ball of the 19th over.
CHIEF SCORES:
Bangladesh Women 91/2 (20 overs) (Nigar Sultana 29 n.o., Sanjida Islam 15, Fahima Khatun 15, Umesha Thimashini 4/8, M. Ranathunga 1/6, S. Sandeepani 1/18, Tarika Sewwandi 1/20, Malsha Ranathunga 1/6)
Sri Lanka Women 89/8 (20 overs) (Harshitha Madavi 32, 28, Lihini Apsara 25 28 2 , Nilakshana Sandamini 10,Nahida Akter 2 /9, Salma Khatun 1/12, Jahanara Alam 1/17, Khadija Tul Kubra 1/21)
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Men’s team registered their third win defeating the strong Bangladesh by 9 wickets in breaking their unbeaten run in the tenth match of the Under-23 Tournament of the SAF Games at Kirtipur. Sri Lanka raced to the 151-run victory target in 16.1 overs anchored by No.3 L. Croospulle who made an unbeaten 41-ball 73 with 4 sixes and 7 boundaries and opening batsman Pathun Nissanka who struck an unbeaten 52-ball 67 inclusive of 5 boundaries and 3 sixes sharing in an unfinished 134-run second wicket alliance. That was in reply to Bangladesh’s 150 for 6 in 20 overs.
CHIEF SCORES:
Bangladesh Men 150/6 (20 Overs) (Yasir Ali 51, Mahidul Islam Ankon 44, Zakir Hasan n.o. 20, Asitha Fernando 2/29)
Sri Lanka Men 151/1 (16.1 Overs) (Pathum Nissanka n.o. 67, L. Croospulle n.o. 73)
By Srian Obeyesekere
-The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sri Lanka Cricket-
