But Harshita Samarawickrama: Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu believes the defending champions have the depth and composure to overcome any opponent in the Women’s Asia Cup final after their four-wicket win over Pakistan, with the skipper particularly impressed by the way her young batting group responded to early pressure.
Sri Lanka were pushed onto the back foot almost immediately in their chase of 131, losing Athapaththu, Sanjana Kavindi and Hasini Perera inside the first six overs. But Harshita Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari absorbed the pressure before combining for a 67-run stand that put the chase back on course.
The Sri Lankan skipper believes the side’s strength lies in the number of players capable of taking responsibility when the situation demands it.
“We have good finishers like Harshitha, Nilakshika, Kavisha. Most of the players are playing really good, even the bowling unit. So we have good players. So if we can execute our plans in the final, I think we can beat any team,” Athapaththu said after Sri Lanka’s semi-final win.
Reflecting on Sri Lanka’s overall display, Athapaththu praised the team’s effort with both ball and bat, while acknowledging that there was room for improvement in the field.
“As a bowling unit, we did really good, and we dropped a couple of catches when we were fielding, but we did really good. And the way the batters batted, it’s amazing to watch, because the youngsters (are) doing really good. That’s a very good thing for the team and the nation as well,” she added.
The partnership between Harshita and Dilhari proved to be the defining phase of the chase. With Pakistan sensing an opportunity after the early wickets, the pair opted against taking unnecessary risks and gradually shifted the momentum towards Sri Lanka.
“The way Harshitha and Kavisha batted, it’s amazing. They absorbed the pressure, they took singles and played really good. Under pressure, that partnership was match-winning,” the all-rounder stated.
The partnership between Harshita and Dilhari proved to be the defining phase of the chase. With Pakistan sensing an opportunity after the early wickets, the pair opted against taking unnecessary risks and gradually shifted the momentum towards Sri Lanka.
Also Read: Special Cricket Stories
The victory sent Sri Lanka into their second consecutive Women’s Asia Cup final, where they will face India at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.