“Scotland fought hard, but Sri Lanka found the winning runs with one ball left”
Sri Lanka kept their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final hopes alive with a thrilling three-wicket victory over Scotland at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday.
Scotland batted first and posted a competitive total of 151/6 in 20 overs. Sarah Bryce top-scored with an unbeaten 47, helping her side set a challenging target.
Sri Lanka made a strong start to the chase thanks to captain Chamari Athapaththu, who smashed 33 runs from just 16 balls. However, Scotland fought back with regular wickets, turning the match into a tense contest.
Needing seven runs from the final over, Sri Lanka held their nerve. The drama increased when Scotland bowler Rachel Slater suffered an injury with three balls remaining. Sugandika Kumari then hit the winning boundary off the penultimate ball, sealing a dramatic three-wicket victory with just one delivery to spare.
Nilakshika Silva was named Player of the Match for her all-round performance.
Although Sri Lanka secured the win, the narrow margin did little to improve their net run rate. Their chances of reaching the semi-finals now depend on the results of the remaining Group B matches.