New Zealand claimed a crucial victory after comfortably beating Sri Lanka Women by eight wickets in the Group A match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024. 

After Sri Lanka Women chose to bat first at Sharjah, they scored 115/5 in 20 overs. In reply, New Zealand Women chased the target in 17.3 overs after losing two wickets. 

Sri Lanka Women scored 34/1 at the end of the powerplay. During the powerplay, opener Vishmi Gunaratne was dismissed for eight runs as Eden Carson bowled her. 

Athapaththu and Samarawickrama had a slow partnership

Captain Chamari Athapaththu finally set up a good partnership of 48 runs with Harshitha Samarawickrama. However, to build up that second-wicket partnership, they took a lot of balls, which put pressure on the next Sri Lankan batters.

Athapaththu scored 35 off 41 balls, while Samarawickrama scored 18 off 29 balls. Kavisha Dilhari (10), Anushka Sanjeewani (5), Nilakshika Silva (14*), and Ama Kanchana (10) had some cameos to set up a total of 115 runs. 

In the last ten overs, Sri Lanka Women hit only four fours, including only one boundary in the last four overs. 

New Zealand bowlers were always in control

Among the New Zealand Women bowlers, Amelia Kerr (2/13) and Leigh Kasperek (2/27) took two wickets each. Eden Carson was the only other wicket-taker in that innings. 

Georgia Plimmer scored a half-century

In chasing, New Zealand Women were never under pressure. The White Ferns openers set up a 49-run partnership before Sachini Nisansala bowled Suzie Bates (17).

Meanwhile, the other opener Georgia Plimmer scored 53 off 44 balls with the help of four fours. After settling the White Ferns to the safe zone, Plimeer lost her wicket to Chamari Athapaththu. 

Amelia Kerr also scored 30+ runs

Amelia Kerr (34 not out off 31 balls) comfortably finished the game with the skipper Sophie Devine (13 not out off eight balls) as New Zealand Women reached the target with 15 balls remaining. 

With this result, New Zealand Women are putting pressure on India Women with both teams earning four points each after their first three matches. Currently, India Women are ahead in the net run rate. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Women ended this competition with four defeats in Group A.