"VAN" (Sports Desk - 02.05.2024) :: Tournament favourites, Sri Lanka, confirmed their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Group A semi-final spot with a dominant, 67-run victory over Uganda at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, while the Netherlands dashed Zimbabwe’s hopes of semi-final contention, with a hard-fought, 14-run win at Tolerance Oval in Wednesday’s afternoon matches.
Opener Vishmi Gunaratne (player of the match) and the Sri Lankan spinners were the stars for the table-toppers from Group A. Netherlands produced a solid, all-round performance with captain Babette de Leede, leading from the front and producing a player-of-the-match-winning performance with the bat in their crucial Group B encounter, which kept their semi-final hopes alive, while ending Zimbabwe’s.
Opting to bat first, Netherlands lost key batter Iris Zwilling early to a direct hit at the non-striker’s end by Pellagia Mujaji, but Sterre Kalis and de Leede rebuilt with a watchful stand.
The partnership began slowly as Netherlands ambled to 29 in the first six overs. Kalis opened up with back-to-back fours off Josephine Nkomo and looked in ominous touch.
Sharne Mayers was brought into the attack in the 13th over and struck off her first delivery, cleaning up de Leede for 37 to break the stand.
Francis Chipare doubled it up with the wicket of Kalis two overs later, trapping her in front for 34 off 37 balls.
Netherlands added 42 runs in the last five overs with Robine Rijke leading the charge. She remained unbeaten on 39 off 25 balls to give the innings the late push it badly needed.
In reply, Modester Mupachikwa led Zimbabwe’s fight at the top but Netherlands struck at the other end, sending back three batters inside the Powerplay.
Frederique Overdijk, Silver Siegers and Zwilling took a wicket apiece as Zimbabwe were reduced to 29/3. Caroline de Lange added another scalp to the tally after the Powerplay, sending Ashley Ndiraya back to the hut for three.
Nkomo and Mupachikwa resurrected the innings with a solid partnership but with Netherlands maintaining impeccable discipline with the ball, the runs were not coming as quickly as they would have wanted.
Zimbabwe needed 52 in the last five overs to win, but could only manage 37 more and finished on 121/4, despite the Nkomo-Mupachikwa stand remaining unbeaten.
Netherland’s triumph today makes it two in three games in the tournament so far.
Sri Lanka vs Uganda
A career-best T20I knock from Vishmi Gunaratne and a brilliant bowling effort led Sri Lanka to a massive win in Group A of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
The opening stand began with a bang for Sri Lanka as Chamari Athapaththu and Gunaratne completed their fifty-run partnership from 45 balls. It was brought to a screeching halt by Janet Mbabazi who removed Athapaththu for 24 off 21.
Harshitha Madavi was run out shortly afterwards, but Gunaratne found support from Hasini Perera, who came in at number four. Gunaratne completed her half-century from 51 deliveries, with Perera being the aggressor at the other end. The latter was eventually dismissed for 30 off 24 balls in the 18th over.
Gunaratne finished on an unbeaten 73 off 64 balls, her highest score in T20Is, leading Sri Lanka to a formidable 154/4 in 20 overs.
In the chase, Sri Lanka were all over Uganda in no time, reducing them to 22/2 inside the Powerplay.
Inoka Ranaweera stepped into the attack immediately after the Powerplay and struck twice in two deliveries, limiting Uganda to 22/4. Left-arm wrist spinner, Shashini Gimhani, also took a wicket in her first over, leaving Uganda five wickets down inside 10 overs with 35 runs on the board.
Prosscovia Alako resisted Sri Lanka’s charge but scarcely found support from the other end as wickets kept tumbling. She made 36 in 32 balls and was the seventh batter dismissed.
Kavisha Dilhari saw off the last two wickets from successive deliveries in the final over and Uganda were bundled out for 87, handing Sri Lanka a satisfactory victory.
With the 67-run win, Sri Lanka continue their unbeaten streak in the tournament with three wins out of three in Group A.
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