SL v NZ Women’s World T20 Review: New Zealand crush Sri Lanka

The New Zealand Women emulated their male counterparts with a crushing win over the Sri Lankan women by a mammoth 7 wickets. The Kiwis picked up a win on a ‘dead rubber’ wicket at the Feroze Shah Kotla. However, despite the slowness of the wicket, the New Zealand women found a way to tackle the Sri Lankan spinners. The win witnesses the Black Caps pick up two extremely vital points.

Sri Lanka skipper Shashikala Siriwardene called correctly and decided to have a bat first. Probably, the cracks on the wicket would have prompted her to take the call. The Lankans initially, began brightly as they negotiated the Sri Lankan bowling with considerable ease. Chamari Atapattu and Yasoda Mendis laid the perfect foundation as they rotate the strike in tandem and put the odd ball away to the boundary. It took a bit of brilliant inspiration from skipper Suzy Bates to bring on the dangerous spinner Leigh Kasperek just after the powerplay. Kasperek struck with her first ball by removing Atapattu for 17.

In spite of some tight bowling from the New Zealand bowlers, the Sri Lankan batsmen kept their feet on the peddle with an impressive partnership. Runs flowed freely from Dialni Manodara’s bat as she slammed the ball to all parts of the Kotla wicket. An unfortunate mix up saw Manodara dismissed and sent on her way back to the dressing room for 37. Sophie Devine’s moment of brilliance in the field ensured that skipper Shashikala Siriwardene walked back to the dugout for just 4 runs. Unfortunately for the Lakans, their amazing start was well and truly thrown away as the batting lienup collapsed like a pack of cards. Apart from some brilliant fielding that saw the Kiwi women dismiss three batsmen through run outs, Leigh Kasperek was the pick of the bowler as she ended up with two wickets. She concluded with figures of 2/19 in her quota of 4 overs. The Lankan innings closed at 110/8 in their quota of 20 overs.

Suzy Bates and Rachel Priest decided that they wouldn’t hang around a dangerous Feroze Shah Kotla wicket for long as they began attacking from the very first delivery. They New Zealand innings began in interesting similarity to the Sri Lankan innings. Suzy Bates began to knock the ball with the meanness and aggression she had showed for the most part of her career. Rachel Priest also chipped in with a wonderfully compiled 28. Bates however, was the first one dismissed when after being clean bowled by her opposite number Siriwardene for a run-a-ball 37. In spite of losing Priest for 28 and Sophie Devine immediately after, the kiwis prevented what seemed to be an inevitable collapse. Sara McGlashan whacked a couple of boundaries and ran hard as she smashed 21 off just 14 deliveries. She remained unbeaten with Amy Satterthwaite who had contributed an impressive run-a-ball 13 for her side’s cause. Thus, an important win for the Kiwis as they now occupy the top spot of the Group A standings. Leigh Kasperek was adjudged the man of the match for her efforts with the ball.

Brief Scores

Sri Lanka 110/8 in 20 overs (Manodara 37; Kasperek 2/19)

New Zealand  111/3 in 15.5 overs (Bates 37; Siriwardene 1/21)