Coach Warnapura hails ‘scintillating’ Chamari Athapaththu as Sri Lanka seal well-known win

Athapaththu’s 55 from 40 balls led a withering batting show from Sri Lanka’s top-order, as England’s sub-par complete of 104 was hunted down with 6.4 overs to spare. Her 21-run assault on Kate Cross’s second over included an enormous six over sq. leg and right into a neighbouring backyard, as Sri Lanka broke the again of the chase with 67 runs within the six-over powerplay.

“Chamari has been playing some scintillating cricket for a long period of time,” Warnapura, the previous Sri Lanka Test batter, mentioned. “It’s lovely to watch. It doesn’t show any difference from watching a men’s game when Chamari is batting, the way she hits the ball so hard and doesn’t worry about gaps.”

Athapaththu’s affect on Sri Lanka’s victory prolonged to her position with the ball too – after her crew had conceded a hefty 186 for 4 in 17 overs at Hove, she took it upon herself to set the tone together with her offspin, and duly bowled England’s most harmful participant, Danni Wyatt, for 1 with the sixth supply of the match.

“She’s been working really hard with the bat, but most of the time that when she was bowling, it was only over or two,” Warnapura added. “But now she has proven that she’s one of the best allrounders that we have in the world.”

Athapaththu’s aggression introduced out one of the best in her team-mates too. Sri Lanka rejigged their batting line-up after their 12-run DLS defeat in Hove, with the wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeewani shifting up the order to open, thereby permitting Vishmi Gunaratne to fit in at No. 4 behind Harshitha Samarawickrama at three, who did not get to bat in Thursday’s rain-shortened chase.

Though Sanjeewani’s personal influence proved to be restricted, Samarawickrama proved the right foil for Athapaththu, as she sealed Sri Lanka’s chase with an unbeaten 30 from 35 balls, together with a 3rd six of the innings, over deep midwicket.

“We had to try something new and the girls took it in a very great way,” Warnapura mentioned. “The way Harshitha finished the game didn’t show any difference to the way she bats as an opener. We have six or seven betters who can do the job but, when Chamari [is leading the way], I think for the rest, it’s much easier for them to play a supporting role.

“We wished to make the batting order as much as No. 7 just a little bit stronger and since the wicketkeeper has been enjoying for a very long time, it was a possibility for her as nicely. Hopefully she is going to come again robust within the subsequent recreation.”

Warnapura has only been in his role for a few months, but in that time, Sri Lanka have also beaten New Zealand – another traditional powerhouse of the women’s game – for the first time in T20Is. Earlier this year, they also beat South Africa in the World Cup opener in Cape Town, and he admitted it was an exciting time to be involved with the team.

“As a coach, it is thrilling to observe the best way they play, and never solely on the sphere… all over the place, even at coaching, even on the lodge and once you’re travelling,” he said. “That exhibits the qualities of self-discipline, and likewise that teamwork issues. The ladies had this starvation to win. I believe it is a good begin for them.”

Warnapura played down the suggestion, however, that England had shown Sri Lanka a degree of disrespect with their youthful selection for this series.

“You cannot management that concerning the England aspect,” he said. “They can decide they usually can relaxation, however after we got here right here, we knew that they’re one of many strongest groups on this planet. So we ready ourselves nicely, again dwelling, in coaching and within the warm-up video games, and once you have a look at that fieldling and bowling, it is actually good to see.”

Looking ahead to the series decider in Derby on Wednesday, Warnapura acknowledged that the sunny weather in Chelmsford had been like “dwelling situations” compared to a damp 7pm start in Hove, but said that he expected England to fight back hard, whatever the weather.

“It’s an amazing confidence, however once you play in opposition to England, you’ll be able to’t simply say that you simply received right this moment and you are going to win tomorrow,” he said. “It’s going to be onerous, however the best way we’re performing, we’re enjoying as a unit and as a crew, and that is one thing that we’re trying ahead for.”