The Ind w vs sl w 5th t20i ended with India sealing yet another convincing victory, while Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu openly acknowledged that her team failed to deliver their best performance throughout the series. The visitors went down by 15 runs in the fifth and final T20 International at Thiruvananthapuram, wrapping up a challenging tour for the Sri Lankan women’s side.
Speaking after the match, Athapaththu did not shy away from self-criticism. The experienced all-rounder admitted that Sri Lanka struggled to play their natural game, particularly in key areas such as power-hitting and consistent batting, which ultimately cost them dearly against a well-drilled Indian team.
Sri Lanka Lacked Consistency and Firepower
Reflecting on the series and the final encounter, Athapaththu said that Sri Lanka never quite managed to hit top gear. While there were flashes of promise, the overall performance fell short of expectations.
“We did not play our best cricket in this tournament,” Athapaththu said candidly. “Especially in terms of power-hitting and batting, we were not up to the mark. But there are some positives to take away. We came here with a young team, and hopefully, we can learn from this and perform much better in the future.”
The Ind w vs sl w 5th t20i highlighted Sri Lanka’s ongoing struggle to maintain momentum after promising starts. Despite showing resilience in patches, the team was unable to string together a complete performance against a strong Indian side that made full use of home conditions.
Focus Shifts to Women’s T20 World Cup
With the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in England, Athapaththu emphasized the need for senior players to step up and lead from the front. She acknowledged that while some experienced players were performing well, consistency across the squad remained an issue.
“Some of our senior players are playing good cricket, but not everyone is performing at the level we expect,” she said. “As seniors, including myself, we need to take more responsibility. There are a couple of areas we must improve before the World Cup.”
Athapaththu also highlighted the importance of maintaining a positive dressing-room environment and credited the team’s coach for keeping morale high despite the disappointing results.
“We talk about positive things in the dressing room,” she added. “We were playing good cricket six to seven months ago, so we know our potential. Our coach is very good and always motivates us to play to our strengths.”
India Set a Challenging Target
In the Ind w vs sl w 5th t20i, India posted a competitive total of 175 for the loss of six wickets on a dry surface that offered some assistance to bowlers later in the innings. The Indian batters showed intent from the outset, rotating the strike well and finding boundaries at regular intervals.
The target proved to be a stiff challenge for Sri Lanka, especially against an Indian bowling attack that applied constant pressure. The hosts executed their plans with discipline, making it difficult for Sri Lanka to keep up with the required run rate.
Early Blow Hurt Sri Lanka’s Chase
Sri Lanka’s chase got off to the worst possible start when captain Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed early in the innings. Indian pacer Arundhati Reddy struck in the second over, removing the dangerous opener for just two runs and giving India an early breakthrough.
The loss of Athapaththu dented Sri Lanka’s momentum, but the visitors showed character through a strong second-wicket partnership. Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani steadied the innings with a fluent stand that gave Sri Lanka a fighting chance.
Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani Shine
Hasini Perera played a composed yet attacking knock, scoring 65 runs, while Imesha Dulani supported her brilliantly with a well-crafted 50. Together, they added 79 runs for the second wicket, keeping Sri Lanka in the contest and briefly shifting the pressure back onto the Indian bowlers.
Athapaththu praised the pair for executing their plans effectively in the middle overs.
“Some of our batters executed the plans really well,” she said. “We gave India a good fight, and that partnership showed what we are capable of when we apply ourselves.”
For a moment, it appeared that Sri Lanka might pull off a dramatic chase, but India responded with timely wickets to halt the momentum.
Middle Order Collapse Seals Sri Lanka’s Fate
After the dismissals of Perera and Dulani, Sri Lanka’s innings fell apart. The middle and lower order struggled to cope with India’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding. Wickets fell in quick succession, and the required run rate quickly climbed out of reach.
Only Rashmika Sewwandi managed to reach double figures, remaining unbeaten on 14 runs off eight balls. However, her late effort was not enough to bridge the gap as Sri Lanka eventually finished 15 runs short of the target.
The collapse once again underlined Sri Lanka’s inability to sustain pressure deep into the innings, an issue that Athapaththu acknowledged needs urgent attention ahead of major tournaments.
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Gratitude Towards Hosts
Despite the disappointment, Athapaththu expressed her appreciation towards the hosts for the warm reception throughout the tour.
“I would like to thank the BCCI and the people of India for hosting us,” she said. “We were made to feel welcome, and these matches have been a great learning experience for our young players.”
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Conclusion
The Ind w vs sl w 5th t20i may have ended in defeat for Sri Lanka, but the series provided valuable exposure for a developing squad. With several young players gaining experience against top-quality opposition, Sri Lanka will look to regroup and address their shortcomings before the Women’s T20 World Cup.
For India, the match reinforced their depth and consistency, while Sri Lanka will take encouragement from individual performances as they aim to rebuild and come back stronger on the global stage.
