2024 ICC WOMENS T20 ASIA CUP 

By Srian Obeyesekere

New Zealand outplayed Sri Lanka to coasting to a comfortable 8-wicket triumph on a high of 118 for 2 wickets off 17.3 overs anchored by opening batter Georgia Plimmer who struck a Player of the Match 53 off 44 balls hitting 4 boundaries having contained the Lankans to 115 for 5 in the allotted 20 overs at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium yesterday.

It was Sri Lanka’s fourth successive defeat though the victory did not take New Zealand lying in third place of Group A past second placed India.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne for 8 bowled by Carson with the score on 24 off 3.3 overs as skipper Chamari Athapaththu strived to push the score going on to add 48 for the second wicket with Harshitha Samarawickrama into 13.3 overs when she was bowled by Kerr for 35 off 41 having struck 5 boundaries.

Samarawickrama followed two runs later for18 off 29 falling to the second delvery of the 15th over holing out to Kerr off Kasperek as the Lankan batters added 39 off the next 32 deliveries as the Kiwi bowlers performed a good containing job.

New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and Leigh Kasperek claimed 2 wickets each.

New Zealand 118 for 2 (Georgia Plimmer 53, Amelia Kerr 34*, Suzie Bates 17, Chamari Athapaththu 1/8, Sachini Nisansala 1/24) beat Sri Lanka 115 for 5 (Chamari Athapaththu 35, Harshitha Samarawickrama 18, Kavisha Dilhari 10, Amelia Kerr 2/13, Leigh Kasperek 2/27) by eight wickets.