Sri Lanka stay alive in the World Cup thanks to their skipper’s efforts in Bristol
Chamari Athapaththu has hammered a brilliant century to lead Sri Lanka to an emphatic nine-wicket win over Ireland in Bristol.
The Sri Lanka captain hit an unbeaten 106 from 61 balls as her team secured victory with 27 balls to spare.
It continued Ireland’s disappointing run at this tournament, where they have lost four consecutive matches, and continued their unwanted record of having never won a women’s T20 World Cup match.
Athapaththu blazed her fourth T20I century off just 58 balls, after she and Imesha Dulani had put on 98 for the opening wicket to put Sri Lanka on course for victory.
Dulani scored a 27-ball 20 before she was bowled for 20 in the 12th over, ending Sri Lanka’s highest women’s T20 World Cup opening stand.
There was no stopping Athapaththu, however, as she reached triple figures in the 15th over, with partner Nilakshi de Silva (4no) playing spectator as her captain mowed down the target with more than four overs to spare.
Sri Lanka remain alive in the tournament but still need to beat Scotland at Old Trafford on Friday and hope for results elsewhere to go their way.
Earlier, Ireland were restricted to 5-130 batting first, with captain Gaby Lewis top-scoring with 59.
She did not have a great deal of support, with Amy Hunter (0) run out in the first over, before Orla Prendergast was stumped off the bowling of Sugandika Kumari (1-26) for a duck as Ireland fell to 2-3.
Rebecca Stokell (13) struck three boundaries but when she fell in the fifth over, her team was in trouble at 3-19.
Lewis and Leah Paul steadied the ship, putting on 66 before Paul was caught behind for 20 attempting a scoop off Nilakshika Silva (1-12).
Lewis, batting with the heat, fought through to reach her half-century with a cut for four in the 15th over.
She was bowled by Athapaththu (1-23) for 59 in the 19th, while back-to-back Alice Tector boundaries took Ireland to 5-130.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 standings
Round 1
Group 1
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
AUS
3
3
0
0
0
0
4.391
0
0
0
6
2
IND
3
2
1
0
0
0
2.511
0
0
0
4
3
SA
3
2
1
0
0
0
-0.546
0
0
0
4
4
BAN
3
2
1
0
0
0
-0.641
0
0
0
4
5
PAK
3
0
3
0
0
0
-1.857
0
0
0
0
6
NED
3
0
3
0
0
0
-3.384
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Group 2
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
ENG
3
3
0
0
0
0
2.49
0
0
0
6
2
WI
3
3
0
0
0
0
0.644
0
0
0
6
3
NZ
4
2
2
0
0
0
0.122
0
0
0
4
4
SL
4
2
2
0
0
0
-0.973
0
0
0
4
5
SCO
4
1
3
0
0
0
-0.236
0
0
0
2
6
IRE
4
0
4
0
0
0
-1.277
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Click here for the full tournament schedule
All matches will be broadcast on Amazon’s Prime Video
