Follow the highlights from the New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Women's T20 World Cup 2024 right here
The New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, Women's T20 World Cup 2024 Group A match will be played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah on Saturday, October 12, at 3:30pm IST. The match will be telecast on the Star Sports Network in India, and will be live-streamed on the Disney+Hotstar app and website in India. (Live Scorecard)
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Madhavi, Nilakshika de Silva, Inoka Ranaweera, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Sachini Nisansala, Vishmi Gunaratne, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana.
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine(c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze(w), Hannah Rowe, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson, Fran Jonas, Lea Tahuhu, Leigh Kasperek, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Georgia Plimmer.
The New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women have faced each other 10 times, with the Kiwis dominating the head to head record by winning all 10 encounters.
Sri Lanka Women have won the toss and have opted to bat against New Zealand Women in match 15 of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 at the SHarjah Cricket Stadium.
Sri Lanka Women (Playing XI): Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Sachini Nisansala, Ama Kanchana, Sugandika Kumari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Udeshika Prabodhani
New Zealand Women (Playing XI): Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine(c), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Isabella Gaze(w), Leigh Kasperek, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair, Eden Carson
The New Zealanders, clad in their black caps, and the Lankans in their blue are on the field.
Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu are at the crease as Mair opens the bowling attack.
SL-W: 1/0 (0.3)
And there it is--our first wicket of the game! Eden Carson breaks the partnership between Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu. Gunaratne departs after scoring 8 runs off 15 balls, including a four, as Carson knocks the base of the off peg.
SL-W: 28/1 (4.1)
The first ten overs of the game saw the Lankans' captain Chamari shining with her solid 28 off 27 balls including four boundaries. Harshitha Samarawickrama has managed only 10 off 20 balls.
Rosemary Mair is back into the attack now.
SL-W: 59/1 (10.3)
And finally, the biggest threat for New Zealand—Chamari Attapattu—has been dismissed! She exits the field after a blistering 35 runs off 41 balls, which included 5 boundaries. The Kiwis' star bowler, Amelia Kerr, strikes bowling out one of Sri Lanka's finest batters.
SL-W: 76-2 (14)
And going into the death overs Sri Lanka Women’s team faced a dramatic collapse, starting with Harshitha Madavi’s dismissal for 18, caught off Leigh Kasperek’s bowling. Anushka Sanjeewani followed shortly after, caught by Sophie Devine for 5 runs. Amelia Kerr then strikes in the 17th over, bowling Kavisha Dilhari for 10 runs with a well-timed LBW decision.
This is the highest score Sri Lanka scored in their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign.
SL-W: 102/5 (18.2)
Sri Lanka Women posted 115/5 in their 20 overs after a late collapse following Chamari Attapattu's dismissal. New Zealand now need to chase down 116 runs to secure victory and keep their semi-final hopes alive.
SL-W: 115/5 (20)
To chase the 116-run target, Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer have taken to the crease, scoring 12 runs so far against the bowling of Udeshika Prabodhani and Sugandika Kumari.
NZ-W: 12 (3)
Sachini Nisansala bowls out Suzie Bates! The ball, delivered at 76.3 kph, drifts in and goes straight, cleaning up Bates for 17 runs off 22 balls, including one four.
The Blackcaps start strong, with the run target looking achievable, but the Sri Lankan side provides a commendable fight in the field.
NZ-W: 51/1 (8)
Georgia Plimmer is making a sparkling effort in the chase for 116 runs in a must-win match for New Zealand. The opener has smashed 49 runs off 40 balls, including four boundaries and counting. Partnered with Amelia Kerr, who has 17 runs off 16 balls, the Kiwis women are at 83 in 13 overs losing only Bates.
NZ-W: 83/1 (13)
Chamari Athapaththu to Plimmer, out Caught by Nilakshi de Silva!! In the air and taken! Athapaththu pulls her length back, Plimmer treks back to pull. Doesn't generate the necessary power behind it and hits it straight down deep midwicket's throat. End of a fine knock. Plimmer c Nilakshi de Silva b Chamari Athapaththu 53(44) [4s-4]
In the 15th over, Georgia Plimmer departs the field after a brilliant innings of 53 runs off 44 balls, including four boundaries. Chamari Athapaththu claims a big wicket for Sri Lanka, but it is too late.
Now, captain Sophie Devine steps up to lead the charge, while Amelia Kerr continues to build on the innings with 33 runs off 30 balls.
New Zealand Women need 5 runs in 17 balls.
NZ-W: 110/2 (17)
Sophie Devine hits both the first and last six of the game, delivering a perfect finish! Off a delivery from Sugandika Kumari, Devine dances down the track and clubs the length ball over deep midwicket.
New Zealand seal the much-win match by 8 wickets, while Sri Lanka head home on a disappointing note.
SLW 115/5 (20)
NZW 118/2 (17.3)
Georgia Plimmer earned the Player of the Match honor for her 44-ball 53 that helped New Zealand win the crucial match:
In the post match interview she said, "We talked a lot as a group about how we want to about the powerplay in these conditions, being able to be out there with someone like Suzie (Bates) and talk through my options, it really goes a long way and being able to just be aggressive and play my brand, sometimes it might not come off but if I can offer my team a good start, I will be happy. Just wanted to back my skills lately, had good conversations with the coaches and all the players in the team to try and go out there and play my brand. It is a pretty special group that we got, we love each other outside cricket as well. Just the group is very clear on how we want to play and attack. World Cups don't come around all the time, so we are trying to put our best foot forward. We had a bit of hard six months, so to come here and get a few wins under our belt gives loads of confidence."
To solidify their spot in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals, New Zealand must win their next match against Pakistan on Monday and hope for an Australia victory over India on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Women's Asia Cup 2024 champions, Sri Lanka, head home without a single win.