Dominant Bowling Performance
Defending a challenging total of 162/6, Sri Lanka dominated from the start. Rashmika Sewwandi set the tone by dismissing opener Irdina Beh in the first over. Chamudi Praboda followed with a brilliant spell, taking two wickets in her first over to leave Malaysia reeling.
Manudi Nanayakkara further dismantled the Malaysian lineup, claiming two wickets in a single over, reducing the hosts to 14/5. A direct hit from Aseni Thalagune added to Malaysia’s woes, with Nuriman Hidayah run out.
Limansa Thilakaratne and Praboda continued the onslaught, with Thilakaratne striking twice and Praboda returning to complete her remarkable figures of 3/5. The innings ended with a run-out, as Malaysia were bundled out for just 23 runs.
Sri Lanka’s Batting Stars
Earlier, Dahami Sanethma anchored Sri Lanka’s innings with a composed 55 off 52 deliveries, including six boundaries. Contributions from opener Sanjana Kavindi (30 off 13 balls) and middle-order batter Hiruni Kumari (28 off 21 balls) helped lay the foundation for a competitive total.
Despite Malaysia pulling back the run rate in the middle overs, led by Siti Nazwah’s double strike, late fireworks from Sanethma and Shashini Gimhani ensured Sri Lanka crossed the 150-run mark.
Memorable Opening for Sri Lanka
Malaysia, who elected to bowl after winning the toss, had a moment of celebration when Marsya claimed an emotional wicket off her own bowling to dismiss Kavindi in the fourth over. However, Sri Lanka’s all-around performance proved too strong, setting the tone for their World Cup campaign.
Later in the day, defending champions India were set to face the West Indies at the same venue.
