By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka Women stormed into the finals of the Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition by crushing Pakistan Women by 6 wickets with 21 balls to spare in the second semi-final at the Zhejiang University of Technology Cricket Field at Hangzhou, China today. Accordingly, Sri Lanka will meet India in the gold medal final tomorrow Monday.

The Lankan Women scored 77 for 4 off 16.3 on a sticky surface having restricted Pakistan Women to 75 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs having won the toss and opted to field. Udeshika Prabodhani was spot on with the ball claiming 3 wickets for 21 runs with Kavisha Dilhari bagging 2 for 15.

One drop batter Harshitha Samarawickrama top sustained the Lankans run chase scoring a composed 23 off 41 balls with a solitary boundary after skipper Chamari Athapaththu had fallen for 14 with the score on 17. She found solid support from Nilakshi de Silva who remained unbeaten on 18 off 23 sending one over the stands in posting 35 off 46 balls for the fourth wicket having come together with the score on 35 for 3 after 7.1 overs. Anushka Sanjeewani scored 15 upfront.

CHIEF SCORES:

Pakistan Women 75/9 (20 Overs)

(Shawaai Zulfiqar 16, Muneeba Ali 13, Omaima Sohail 10, Udeshika Prabodhani 3/21,  Kavisha Dilhari 2/15, Achini Kulasuriya 1/7, Inoka Ranaweera 1/11, Inoshi Priyadharshani 1/13)

Sri Lanka Women 77/4 (16.3 Overs)

(Harshitha Samarawickrama 23, Anushka Sanjeewani 15, Chamari Athapaththu 14, Nilakshi de Silva n.o. 18, Hasini Perera n.o. 1, Sadia Iqbal 1/13, Diana Baig 1/16, Umm-e-Hani 1/19)