Match 20 of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Sri Lanka Women vs Ireland Women
Sri Lanka secured a nine-wicket victory over Ireland, keeping their slim hopes of reaching the semi-finals alive. The match was held at the County Ground in Bristol on Tuesday, June 23.
Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and chose to bowl first in this crucial match for Sri Lanka. Amy Hunter was run out in the first over without scoring, and Orla Prendergast followed suit, also dismissed for a duck.
Rebecca Stokell managed 13 runs off 12 balls before Leah Paul joined captain Gaby Lewis at the crease. Paul struggled and scored only 20 runs off 27 balls before being dismissed by Nilakshika Silva. Alice Tector chipped in with a quick 28* off 21 balls, while Lewis was the top scorer with 59 runs off 50 balls.
In response, Sri Lanka’s opening pair of Athapaththu and Imesha Dulani put together 98 runs within 12 overs, with Athapaththu doing most of the scoring. Dulani was out for 20 runs off 27 balls, bowled by Prendergast.
Athapaththu reached her fourth T20I century in the 15th over. Together with Nilakshika, she guided the team to victory in 15.3 overs, with nine wickets remaining.
Best Batting Performance: Chamari Athapaththu
Chamari Athapaththu, disappointed after her early dismissal in the last match, delivered an outstanding performance this time. She led her team with a strong innings, securing a comfortable win under pressure.