Sri Lanka qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games women’s Twenty20 cricket event by defeating Bangladesh by 22 runs in the qualifiers in Kuala Lumpur.
Sri Lanka opting to bat first in the final game of the qualifiers posted 136/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu top scored with 48 off 28 deliveries.
Nilakshi de Silva and Anushka Sanjeewani made 20s against a clinical Bangladesh bowling line-up.
Nahida Akter picked up 2/34 for the Bangladeshi.
In their chase, Bangladesh lost Shamima Sultana earlier on but the top four showed grit and determination to overhaul the Lankans.
Murshida Khatun top scored with a run-a-ball 36 while Fargana Hoque made 30.
Captain Nigar Sultana hit 20 but Sri Lankan skipper Athapaththu turned the game towards Sri Lanka’s favour by picking up three wickets.
She conceded just 17 runs in her four overs.
Chamari Athapaththu deservedly was adjudged the player of the match and the player of the series for her performance in the five-team tournament.
Athapaththu led from the front to defeat Scotland, Kenya, Malaysia and Bangladesh to qualify for this year’s Commonwealth Games.
Hosts England, world champions Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Barbados and New Zealand are already assured of places at Birmingham 2022, where the women’s 20-over tournament will represent cricket’s second Commonwealth Games appearance and first since 1998.
