Sri Lanka begin Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign with convincing win over Bangladesh

Sri Lanka kicked off their Women’s Asia Cup 2024 campaign with a decisive seven-wicket win over Bangladesh Women in Dambulla on Saturday.

The match was marked by a commanding all-round performance from Sri Lanka, with Vishmi Gunaratne playing a pivotal role by scoring a solid half-century.

Bangladesh, who batted first, struggled from the beginning, losing four key wickets during the powerplay overs. This early collapse stunted their progress, leaving captain Nigar Sultana to anchor the innings. Shorna Akter added some quick runs with a brisk 25 off 14 balls, but despite her efforts, Bangladesh could only post a modest total of 111/8.

In reply, Sri Lanka faced an early challenge with the loss of their captain Chamari Athapaththu. However, the team’s depth and resilience shone through as Gunaratne, in excellent form this year, guided the chase with a steady half-century—her third in T20 internationals in 2024.

She was well-supported by Harshitha Samarawickrama, and together they led Sri Lanka to victory with 17 balls to spare.

The defeat extended Bangladesh’s winless streak in T20 internationals to nine matches in 2024, underscoring their struggles in the format this year.