Sri Lanka concluded their most successful visit to South Africa with a 2-1 T20 series win, followed by a 1-1 draw in the ODI series. The 2-1 victory in the T20 series marked Sri Lanka’s first series win over South Africa. In the immediate aftermath of this triumph, Chamari Athapaththu hinted at international retirement. However, her outstanding performance in the third ODI in Potchefstroom suggests she is nowhere near ready to put the bat down. Chamari expressed no intention of immediate retirement, emphasizing her eagerness to compete in the next T20 qualifying tournament, scheduled for April 25th in Dubai. Under Chamari’s leadership, the Sri Lankan women’s team has demonstrated remarkable performance.
Chamari Athapaththu affirmed her availability for the qualifier and expressed optimism about Sri Lanka’s chances of securing a spot at the main event. She stated, “I’m pretty confident about my group. We’ve played really good cricket so far. But the UAE has different conditions and is really good for the batters. Every team goes to qualifiers to win, so we have to play our best cricket in World Cup qualifiers as well. I’m pretty confident about my bowling unit and batting unit.”
Historically, Sri Lanka had never scored 300 in an ODI or chased such a significant victory target. However, on a flat pitch with a fast outfield, Athapaththu fancied their chances. She displayed clean hitting, with a smart and confident approach to the ball. Chamari Athapaththu’s recent success includes participating in more franchise T20 tournaments, especially performing well in the last Women’s Big Bash League in Australia, where she was named Player of the Tournament. Her knock of 195 not out in the recent ODI marked her ninth ODI century, surpassing her previous best of 178 not out against Australia, making it an unforgettable moment in her career.
Chamari Athapaththu’s late father served as her mentor, envisioning high performance from Chamari. Hailing from Gokarella, near Malsiripura in the Kurunegala district, she attended Ibbagamuwa Central before moving to Colombo to further her cricket career. Undoubtedly, Chamari stands as Sri Lanka’s most successful women’s batter.
Her aim is to mentor more youngsters to reach higher levels, always prioritising international exposure. Chamari Athapaththu has already proven her class on the international cricket stage.
Under her leadership, Sri Lanka has defeated England and South Africa in T20 series over the last 10 months, reaching the final of the Asian Games, though losing to India. However, their 50-over form has not been quite as impressive, and they currently sit in eighth place on the Women’s Championship Points table, well outside of automatic qualification for the 2025 ODI World Cup. Despite this, Chamari Athapaththu’s commitment to Sri Lanka cricket remains a topic of interest, especially with her having already played 101 ODIs.
Dhammika Ratnaweera