Harshitha Samarawickrama led Sri Lanka to a convincing seven-wicket win over Ireland in the opening T20I of their tour. Her unbeaten 86 off 45 balls was pivotal as Sri Lanka chased down Ireland’s 146-run target with 20 balls to spare at Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin. Despite the absence of their captain, Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka secured the win with ease.
Ireland, batting first, got off to a steady start. Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast added 59 runs in 49 balls, setting up a solid foundation. Laura Delany and Rebecca Stockell added some valuable runs in the death overs with a few boundaries, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers managed to take regular wickets.
Sri Lanka’s chase began aggressively. Vimshi Gunaratne made an impact with a quick 15-run over against Ava Cunning and continued the attack against Prendergast and Arelene Kelly. Once Gunaratne slowed down, Samarawickrama took charge, driving the innings forward.
Despite a few wickets falling, the 83-run opening partnership had already put Sri Lanka in control. Samarawickrama’s stellar performance ensured Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead in the series.
Brief Scores:
Ireland 145/6 in 20 overs (Gaby Lewis 39, Laura Delany 25; Inoshi Praiyadharshani 2-35)
Sri Lanka 149/3 in 16.4 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 86, Vimshi Gunaratne 30; Laura Delany 1-16)
Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets.