Sri Lanka hold nerve in face of Esha Oza onslaught to seal T20 World Cup berth
Written by I Dig SportsSri Lanka Women 149 for 6 (Gunaratne 45) beat United Arab Emirates 134 for 7 (Oza 66) by 15 runs
Sri Lanka Women overcame a spirited run-chase from United Arab Emirates in their World Cup Qualifier semi-final in Abu Dhabi, to seal their place in the main event in Bangladesh later this year, as well as a place in Tuesday's final, where they will face fellow qualifiers, Scotland.
Gunaratne added 52 for the first wicket with Chamari Athapaththu, who made a run-a-ball 21, and when she fell at 106 for 3 at the end of the 16th over, the middle order picked up the tempo to add 43 in the final three overs. Nilakshika Silva was stumped off the final ball of the innings after three fours in a 10-ball 18.
She was given vital support by Khushi Sharma (22 from 23) and Kavisha Egodage (16 from 20), but after Athapaththu had broken through to end Egodage's stay, Udeshika Prabodhani bowled Oza in her next over, before the run-out of Heena Hotchandani completed a collapse of 3 for 7 in 12 balls.
Athapaththu added a second wicket to remove Samaira Dharnidharka for 5, and though Vaishnave Mahesh kept UAE fighting to the end with 13 not out from eight balls, the asking-rate was already too much.