Cyprus Women held their composure to secure a convincing 34-run victory over Greece Women in the third T20I of Greece Women’s tour of Cyprus. The contest saw shifts in momentum, but Cyprus’s recovery from early setbacks and a disciplined bowling performance ultimately proved decisive.
Cyprus Women endured a difficult start with the bat, as Greece struck early through tight bowling. Alexandra Taylor was dismissed without scoring, trapped lbw by Maria Syrioti, leaving the hosts at 1/3 in the opening over. The pressure intensified when Dilini Ishara was run out for a duck, reducing the side to 2/7. The early breakthroughs put Greece in control, and the situation worsened when Ayesha Dirannehelage, who battled for 27 off 41 balls, was also run out, with Cyprus slipping to 5/61.
The middle overs, however, brought some stability. Iresha Chathurani added 8 before departing, but a steady partnership between Dineika Koralalage (20 off 38) and Nilmini Liyanage (8* off 11) helped rebuild the innings. Their measured stand guided Cyprus through the latter stages. Although Chandrika Wijesinghe fell for 4 during this phase, Cyprus managed to close on 108/6 in 20 overs, with extras contributing 41 runs — a factor that played a key role in the final outcome.
Greece’s bowlers shared responsibilities effectively throughout the innings. Maria-afroditi Vervitsioti led the effort with figures of 2/22 from her four overs, while Maria Syrioti delivered an economical spell of 1/16. Aggeliki Savvani and Elpida Kallous also maintained control, preventing Cyprus from building any dominant partnerships.
In response, Greece Women struggled to establish any rhythm in the chase of 109. Maria Syrioti fell early for 1, bowled by Dineika Koralalage, and although Aggeliki Savvani contributed 14 off 21 balls, her run-out left the score at 2/32. The innings failed to gain traction from that point.
Regular wickets stalled any progress, with Aggeliki-ioanna Argyropoulou, Adamantia Makri, and Maria Polimeri unable to convert their starts. A brief stand between Maria-afroditi Vervitsioti (6) and Theodora Parisi-mesimeri (5) offered limited resistance, but the required rate continued to climb.
The collapse gathered pace as Greece slipped from 5/46 to 9/73, ending any hopes of a comeback. Sofia-nefeli Georgota remained unbeaten on 0, but Greece were eventually bowled out for 74 in 19.1 overs.
Cyprus’s bowling unit delivered a cohesive performance. Samanthi Dunukedeniya was the standout, finishing with 3/22 in her four overs. Chandrika Wijesinghe provided strong support with 2/17, while Dineika Koralalage struck early with two wickets in 3.1 overs. Contributions from Iresha Chathurani and Ayesha Dirannehelage, who claimed a wicket each, ensured Greece never found a way back into the match.
