Sri Lanka delivered a comprehensive all-round performance to claim a dominant 75-run victory over Indonesia in their second Group B clash of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 on Wednesday. After stabilizing from a fragile 62/6 to finish on 124/7, captain Chamari Athapaththu orchestrated a devastating bowling spell of 7/5, culminating in a hat-trick that bowled Indonesia out for just 49.
Nilakshika de Silva stabilizes Sri Lanka after batting collapse
Indonesia won the toss and opted to bowl, a decision that initially yielded significant rewards as the debutants kept Sri Lanka under severe pressure. Ni Kadek Ariani provided an early breakthrough by dismissing Imesha Dulani. Although Sri Lanka’s top order displayed some resilience with the boundary, Indonesia’s disciplined spin attack continually disrupted their rhythm. Sri Lanka collapsed to 36/4 by the eighth over, at which point Nilakshika de Silva stepped in to anchor the recovery. The left-hander exhibited remarkable patience through a prolonged scoreless spell, prioritizing strike rotation to sustain the innings. As wickets fell around her, De Silva gradually accelerated, utilizing the crease effectively and targeting the shorter boundaries before unleashing her shots against Ariani late in the innings. A pair of boundaries, a reverse scoop, and a six carried her to a pivotal half-century. Though she was dismissed shortly after reaching the milestone, her fifty was instrumental in guiding Sri Lanka to a respectable 124/7.
Chamari Athapaththu turns the match on its head with a spectacular hat-trick
Indonesia enjoyed a promising start to their chase, but Sri Lanka quickly neutralized their momentum. Athapaththu opened the bowling and struck immediately, dismissing Pangestuti for breaching her defence. Sugandika Kumari soon compounded the damage by removing Dewi, as Sri Lanka began tightening their grip. Athapaththu’s off-spin rendered the Indonesian batters completely ineffective, and she swiftly claimed two wickets in consecutive deliveries, leaving the opposition unable to construct any substantial partnerships. By the midpoint of the innings, Indonesia had plummeted to 29/5, rendering the required run rate entirely moot as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. Managing just a single boundary between the second and fifteenth overs, they were thoroughly strangulated by Sri Lanka’s disciplined attack. Athapaththu returned for a final spell and utterly dismantled the lower order. She dismissed Ni Ariani, Sang Maypriani, and Dara Ahung Laksmi Paramitha with back-to-back deliveries, completing a spectacular hat-trick that ignited celebrations among the Sri Lankan squad. Her concluding figures of 7/5 not only marked a career-best in international cricket but also the finest bowling haul by a Sri Lankan bowler in Women’s T20Is. This extraordinary performance rounded off a stunning turnaround after Sri Lanka had teetered on the brink with the bat, as Indonesia was ultimately bowled out for 49 in 18.3 overs, sealing a comprehensive 75-run victory.
Sri Lanka defend 124 in style, bowling out Indonesia for just 49 #SLvsIND #AsiaCup pic.twitter.com/uQRhsr2nCW
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) September 3, 2026
Also Read
- Al Nassr vs Al Hilal SPL Derby Relocated from Al Awwal Park to King Fahd Stadium in Strategic Venue Shift
- JSW Sports Secures Global Expansion Deal for Hong Kong Sixes Tournament
- Dodgers’ Dave Roberts addresses concerns over Shohei Ohtani’s physical condition, considers rest day
- Ospreay’s First AEW World Title Defense Confirmed Against Moxley at All Out
