Captain Chamari Athapaththu delivered a historic performance as Sri Lanka Women eased to a 75-run win over Indonesia Women in Match 6 of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Nilakshika Silva rescued Sri Lanka with the bat, but Athapaththu stole the spotlight with the best bowling figures by a Full Member player in Women’s T20I history, taking 7 for 5 and sealing the match with a hat-trick.
After winning the toss, Indonesia opted to field first, and their bowling attack immediately put the tournament favorites under severe pressure. Opening batter Imesha Dulani fell early for 3, while dangerous skipper Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed for just 9 by Ni Luh Dewi.
Indonesia’s bowlers maintained their discipline and picked up wickets at regular intervals. Sang Maypriani removed both Sanjana Kavindi (15) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (5), leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 45/5 midway through their innings.
With the top order in trouble, Nilakshika Silva steadied Sri Lanka with a crucial counter-attacking fifty, striking three fours and a six in her 35-ball 50. She received valuable support from lower-order batter Kawya Kavindi, who made an unbeaten 15 off 19 balls, as the pair added 50 runs to lift Sri Lanka past 100. Ni Luh Dewi led Indonesia’s attack with 3 for 32, but Sri Lanka still reached a competitive 124/7 in 20 overs.
Chasing 125 for a famous upset, Indonesia began cautiously. Openers Rahmawati Pangestuti (10) and Maria Corazon (6) showed brief grit, pushing the total to 18 before Sugandika Kumari and Kavisha Dilhari choked the run flow.
Once Athapaththu introduced herself into the attack, the chase turned into a total collapse. Making up for her early departure with the bat, the Sri Lankan skipper bowled with sheer control and precision. She immediately removed both Corazon and Pangestuti, breaking the backbone of Indonesia’s batting order. The Indonesian batters had no answers to Athapaththu’s drift and turn. Ni Made Putri Suwandewi held one end up with a patient, unbeaten 12 off 32 balls, but received no support from the other end.
The defining moment came in the 19th over. With Indonesia struggling at 49/7, Athapaththu claimed three wickets with her first three deliveries of the over, dismissing Ni Ariani, Sang Maypriani, and Dara Paramitha, to complete a phenomenal hat-trick. In doing so, she became the first Sri Lankan woman to take a T20I hat-trick.
Indonesia were bundled out for 49 in 18.3 overs. Athapaththu was deservedly named Player of the Match for her extraordinary figures of 3.3-0-5-7, sealing a dominant performance for Sri Lanka. With this win her team sits on top of the table in Group B.
