Sri Lanka Women opened their Group A campaign at the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026 in Ajman with a 10-wicket win over Ireland Women, reaching the target with 42 balls to spare.
Ireland opt to bat and lose early wickets
Ireland Women won the toss and chose to bat, but were checked early by a disciplined Sri Lankan attack. Opener Amy Hunter made a quick-fire 21 off 16 balls with three boundaries before she was caught by Malki Madara off Sathya Sandeepani with the score at 25 in 3.2 overs.
Her opening partner Gaby Lewis never settled, chipping a catch to wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana off Chethana Vimukthi for 4, leaving Ireland 28 for two in 4.3 overs.
Lara Maritz tried to anchor the innings alongside Louise Little, making 13 off 19 balls before she was stumped by Nuthyangana off Kavisha Dilhari, breaking the partnership at 53 for three in 9.3 overs.
Little top-scores as lower order falls away
Louise Little held the innings together, top-scoring with 28 off 36 balls with one boundary, before she was run out by Silva at 86 for five. Laura Delany chipped in with 15 off 18 deliveries, hitting a boundary, before becoming another stumping victim for Dilhari at 84 for four in 15.3 overs. Little’s dismissal followed shortly after.
As the innings moved into its closing stages, the lower order crumbled. Alana Dalzell managed 1 run before falling to Sandeepani, while Abbi Harrison pushed the score along with an unbeaten 13 from 11 balls. Cara Murray was lbw to Sandeepani for a duck, Jane Maguire was caught by Perera off Vimukthi for 1, and Kia McCartney was stumped by Nuthyangana off Dilhari for 2. Aimee Maguire finished unbeaten on 1 as Ireland closed on 105 for nine from their 20 overs, with extras contributing 6.
Sathya Sandeepani led the Sri Lankan bowling with 3 for 9 from her four overs, and Kavisha Dilhari took 3 for 20 in four overs. Chethana Vimukthi added 2 for 26 in four overs, while Sugandika Kumari (0 for 19) and Malki Madara (0 for 29) kept the scoring in check across their four-over spells.
Gunaratne and Perera finish it unbeaten
Chasing 106, Sri Lanka Women lost no wickets and completed the chase in 13 overs. Openers Vishmi Gunaratne and Hasini Perera put together an unbroken match-winning partnership.
Vishmi Gunaratne made an unbeaten 53 from 37 balls with six fours and a six, a strike rate of 143.24. Hasini Perera matched her stroke for stroke, finishing not out on 53 off 41 balls with eight fours and a six.
Ireland used six bowlers in an attempt to break the stand without success. Jane Maguire conceded 21 runs in two overs and Aimee Maguire 18 runs in three. Louise Little bowled two economical overs for 14 runs, Kia McCartney gave away 15 in two overs with a wide, Cara Murray’s three overs cost 28 with a wide, and Lara Maritz’s solitary over cost 12.
