By Dhammika Ratnaweera
Sri Lanka women cricketers started their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in style by defeating Bangladesh by six wickets in the 15th over in Malaysia on Saturday.
Shashikala Siriwardene, back in charge as captain of Sri Lanka after four years in the absence of the talented all rounder Chamari Atapattu, chose to bowl. Atapattu was away from this tour due to Dengu fever and experienced Siriwardana returned to handle the team and did a fine job to earn the first win of the Asia Cup. Before the Malysian tour Shashikala Siriwardana told SriLankasports.com that her team is well balanced with experience and the new comers are also very talented thus to make themselves felt in the Asia Cup. Siriwardana also said her team was palnning to take the tournament match by match to win this Asia Cup. “We have never won an Asia Cup and wanted to win this title.” she added.
Meanwhile Sri Lankan womens’ head coach Hemantha Devapriya was in Sri Lanka being away from the team in Malaysia due to personal committments. Coach Devapriya is expected to join the team on 6th and in his absence Assistant coach Oshadee Weerasinghe is working keen with the team.
Meanwhiler Left-arm pace bowler Udeshika Prabodhani justified her inclusion almost instantaneously, having trapped Shamima Sultana lbw off the second ball of the match. Partnering her with the new ball was left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari, and she struck in her first over too. Bangladesh, reduced to 10 for 2, found it hard to recover. Bangladesh were bowled out for a mere 63 runs. Suganika Kumari took three wickets for just 17 runs and was adjudged the best player of the match.
Openers Yasoda Mendis and Nipuni Hansika added 39 runs in 9 overs to pave way to reach Sri Lanka’s target of 64 just in 14.3 overs. Both Mendis and Hansika scored twenty plus scores to build up the total smartly. However Bangladesh off spinner Khadija Tul Kubra came back strongly taking three wickets in her four tidy overs, but Sri Lanka played with more confidence to reach the winning target.
Anushka Sanjeewani who was the replacement for experienced Atapattu was unfortunately run out for miscommunication with Harshani Perera, who too added only six runs. The unbroken partnership between Rebeka Vandort and Nilakshi de Silva reached the target in 14. 3 overs.
Sri Lanka will meet the hosts Malysia on Monday in their second match. Sri Lanka , India, Pakistan, Bangladesh , Thailand and Malaysia are the teams for this Asia Cup. Malysian team is coached by Thushara Kodikara while another former Sri Lankan paceman J.C Gamage render his services as coach for Thailand.
Sri Lanka have been the runners-up four times in the six previous editions of the Asia Cup and the defending Champion India are once again favourites to clinch the Asia Cup
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