Sri Lanka's Samarawickrama Shines as Ireland Fall Short in T20 Opener

In front of an enthusiastic crowd at Sydney Parade, Dublin, Sri Lanka claimed a convincing seven-wicket victory over Ireland in the first Twenty20 International of their series. The match was defined by Harshitha Samarawickrama’s outstanding performance, as her unbeaten 86 anchored Sri Lanka’s successful chase of Ireland’s 145-6 with 20 balls to spare.

Ireland, opting to bat first, had a promising start with Gaby Lewis leading the charge. Lewis scored 39 runs, while Orla Prendergast added 29, the duo putting on a solid 59-run partnership for the second wicket. Ireland looked poised for a competitive total at 83-1 by the 11th over, but the dismissal of Prendergast initiated a slowdown in the scoring rate. Following Lewis's departure shortly after, the Irish innings struggled to regain momentum.

Skipper Laura Delany attempted to revive the innings with a late contribution of 25 runs, but her effort was cut short by a run-out, leaving Ireland with a subpar total of 145-6 from their 20 overs. Kavisha Dilhari’s sharp fielding and the disciplined bowling from Udeshika Priyadharshani, who took 2-35, kept the Irish batting in check during the latter stages.

Sri Lanka’s chase was spearheaded by Samarawickrama and Vishmi Gunaratne, who put together a commanding 83-run opening stand in under 10 overs. Gunaratne, who scored 30, was the first to fall, dismissed by Freya Sargent. However, Samarawickrama continued her assault, displaying a blend of power and finesse to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Despite the quick dismissals of Kavisha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani, Samarawickrama remained composed, steering her side to victory with an unbeaten 86. Sri Lanka reached the target comfortably, finishing on 149-3 in just 16.4 overs.

This victory gives Sri Lanka an early lead in the T20 series, and they will be looking to carry this momentum into the second match, set to take place at the same venue on Tuesday. For Ireland, the challenge will be to find a way to contain Sri Lanka’s in-form batting lineup as they seek to level the series.

The series opener was witnessed by over 1,100 spectators, marking a historic moment for women’s cricket in Ireland and setting the stage for an exciting series ahead.