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New Zealand bounced back from their heavy loss to Australia by securing a victory over Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024. Sophie Devine and her team defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, improving their net run rate and staying in contention for the Women's T20 World Cup's semi-final spot.
The outcome of the White Ferns' next match against Pakistan, as well as the result of the upcoming clash between India and Australia, will determine their fate in the tournament. Sri Lanka, the reigning Asian champions, faced disappointment after finishing at the bottom of the table with four consecutive losses.
Sri Lanka succumb to Amelia Kerr's all-round show
Sri Lanka's opening partnership between Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu got off to a promising start, scoring 26 runs in 3.3 overs. However, the dismissal of Gunaratne by Eden Carson triggered a decline for the Islanders, who struggled to reach a total of 115 for five.
Athapaththu, who had previously struggled with low scores, contributed 35 runs from 41 balls before being dismissed by Amelia Kerr. Kerr continued her strong performance, claiming two wickets. Leigh Kasperek, replacing Fan Jonas, also made crucial contributions with two wickets.
Rosemary Mair maintained a respectable economy rate of 4.25 without taking a wicket. For Sri Lanka, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, and Ama Kanchana made contributions, but their efforts were insufficient to guide their team to a competitive score.
Comfortable chase for New Zealand
New Zealand maintained a comfortable lead throughout their innings and easily chased down the target with 15 balls to spare. Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer provided a solid foundation with a 49-run opening partnership. Sachini Nisansala dismissed Bates for 17, but Plimmer continued to make significant contributions.
Plimmer scored 53 runs from 44 balls before being dismissed by Athapaththu. Amelia Kerr, who had previously excelled with the ball, carried that momentum into her batting, scoring an unbeaten 34. Skipper Sophie Devine finished the innings strongly with an unbeaten 13-run knock.
New Zealand's victory has increased the pressure on India to perform well against Australia. However, even a win against Australia may not guarantee India's entry into the semi-finals, as net run rate could play a crucial role in determining the final standings.
