Pakistan Women won the toss and chose to bat first in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup warm-up match against Sri Lanka Women. They reached 168/8 in 20 overs, but Sri Lanka Women chased the target with control, sealing a 9-wicket victory.
Pakistan Women built a competitive total around captain Fatima Sana, who top-scored with a quick 37 off 26 balls, hitting four fours and one six. The innings began positively through opener and wicketkeeper Muneeba Ali, who struck 36 from 21 deliveries, while Gull Feroza supported her with a steady 26 off 23 balls.
The middle order then suffered a series of setbacks. Ayesha Zafar was run out for 10, Natalia Pervaiz fell for 2, Saira Jabeen added a brisk 12, and Eyman Fatima was dismissed for 5. Aliya Riaz then played an important hand, scoring 22 off 16 balls to maintain Pakistan’s momentum. Iram Javed stayed unbeaten on 8 from 6 deliveries, and with 10 extras, Pakistan reached a solid 168/8.
Sri Lanka Women used seven bowlers to control Pakistan’s innings, with Chethana Vimukthi producing the standout spell. She struck repeatedly to finish with impressive figures of 4/31 from her four overs. Nimasha Meepage offered excellent control, taking 1/16 in three overs, while Sugandika Kumari returned 1/33 from four overs and Malki Madara took 1/19 from two overs.
Chamari Athapaththu conceded 25 runs from her two overs, Kawya Kavindi gave away 25 from three, and Mithali Ayodhya ended with 0/18 from two overs, completing Sri Lanka’s bowling effort.
Sri Lanka Women’s chase was a remarkable top-order display, as they reached 169/1 in 18.4 overs. Captain Athapaththu led with a match-winning 94 from 58 balls, striking nine fours and five sixes before being dismissed by Fatima Sana. She received excellent support from Vishmi Gunaratne, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 63 off 50 balls, including four fours and three sixes.
After Athapaththu fell, Harshitha Samarawickrama came in and finished unbeaten on 4 off 5 balls to complete the win. With 8 extras also added, Sri Lanka’s dominant top-order performance meant the rest of the batting lineup, including Hasini Perera, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunaratne, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Sugandika Kumari, Kawya Kavindi, Malki Madara, Mithali Ayodhya, Nimasha Meepage, and Chethana Vimukthi, was not required.
Pakistan Women’s bowlers found it difficult to contain Sri Lanka’s chase. Fatima Sana was the only wicket-taker, removing Athapaththu with the score on 159 in the 18th over, and finished with figures of 1/20 from two overs. The remaining bowlers went wicketless under sustained pressure. Tasmia Rubab conceded 30 runs from 3.4 overs, while Rameen Shamim and Sadia Iqbal gave away 25 and 27 runs respectively from their three-over spells.
Tuba Hassan bowled her full quota of four overs for 32 runs, while Nashra Sandhu was the most expensive bowler of the innings, conceding 32 from three overs. Sri Lanka Women completed the chase through a dominant 159-run opening stand, powered by Athapaththu’s 94 and supported by Gunaratne’s unbeaten 63. Earlier, Vimukthi’s four-wicket spell had helped restrict Pakistan, whose bowling attack struggled to create pressure in the second innings.
