The Sri Lanka Women’s Team lost their opening match to the South Africa Women by 38 runs at Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide, South Australia on Sunday, and also suffered a minor hiccup of when Achini Kulasuriya was struck on the head when she misjudged a catch and ending up in hospital after lying prostrate on the ground for some time. 

However, she was cleared of any serious injury and released later in the day. She was ruled out of the next warm-up match against England tomorrow Tuesday, February 18, but expected to be in the starting line-up for Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against New Zealand in Perth on February 22.

South Africa, taking first lease made 146 for 5 wickets in 20 overs and restricted the Sri Lankans to 105 for 8 in 20 overs. The Sri Lanka Women had the South Africans in a spot of trouble early on when they reduced them to 0 for 1 and 4 for 2, but they fought back through a run a ball 44 by Marizabbe Kapp who struck 3 boundaries and a six and Laura Wolvaardt who made an unbeaten 38 off 24 balls hitting 5 fours and a six. Chloe Tryon bolstered the total with a rapid 23 off 9 tucked with 2 sixes and a boundary. Udeshika Prabodhini took  2 for 8 and Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Atapattu 2 for 28.

Sri Lanka’s run chase suffered the setback of losing their captain Atapattu and Harshitha Madavi for just 1 each.  Although co opener Hasini Perera made a defiant 22 off 29 deliveries inclusive of 2 boundaries and a six and Ama Kanchana’s unbeaten 24 off 15 with 2 boundaries and a six, their efforts were not good enough to lift the side from the rot of 4 for 36 by the halfway mark as the Protea bowlers cashed in to take a stranglehold of the match.

CHIEF SCORES:

South Africa Women 146/5 (20 Overs) (Marizanne Kapp 44, Laura Wolvaardt n.o. 38, Mignon de Preez 28, Chloe Tryon n.o. 23, Udeshika Prabodhani 2/8, Chamari Atapattu 2/28)

Sri Lanka Women 105/8 (20 Overs) (Hasini Perera 22, Ama Kanchana n.o. 24, Kavisha Dilhari 14, Sune Luus 4/20)