Ireland 130/5

Sri Lanka 134/1

(Sri Lanka won by nine wickets)

Dave Sihra reports from the Bristol County Ground

A SECOND HALF-century in two games by Irish skipper Gaby Lewis gave her side the best possible chance in this contest after a disastrous start, however her opposite number responded with a remarkable innings in stifling conditions to still give Sri Lanka a chance of reaching a semi-final at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup.

At the Bristol County Ground in Gloucestershire, Ireland quickly found themselves three runs for two wickets having lost the toss and been put into bat with very high temperatures at the venue.

It all started with Amy Hunter run out by wicket-keeper Kaushini Nuthyangana when the opener couldn’t quite sprint to make her ground. Hunter has struggled this year with a hamstring injury.

Orla Prendergast was stumped by Nuthyangana next over off left-arm-spinner Sugandika Kumari but Rebecca Stokell fought back with two well-judged drives down the ground.
Sri Lanka’s slingy pacer Mithali Ayodhya though eventually drew Stokell into playing wider and the batter was caught at cover.

Lewis brought up back-to-back fifties in the innings and also played a crucial hand in a vital partnership of 66 with Leah Paul until the Merrion left-hander was dismissed playing her favoured scoop shot.

At the halfway stage and in these conditions Ireland’s total didn’t look enough, however the score would have been unthinkable from 19-3 in just the 5th over. The side though had Lewis to thank for her gusty effort in the heat, plus some excellent hitting by 18-year-old Alice Tector.

Irish spinner Aimee Maguire took the new ball as she has done throughout the tournament and was hit for a boundary first up by Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu to signal their intent.

Athapaththu and her fellow opener Imesha Dulani brought up the fifty partnership for the opening wicket inside the fifth over, but it was the skipper whose violent hitting had Ireland under pressure.

Soon Dulani started following her captain’s example and Ireland found themselves crowded under two umbrellas during the drinks break hiding from the heat. Sri Lanka’s openers instead opted for no such shelter during the brief hydration interval.

Orla Prendergast eventually breached the stumps of Dulani with a delivery that moved just between bat and pad. However, in the fifteenth over, Athapaththu imperiously marched to her century off just 57 balls with only 12 runs needed to win.

Having lost narrowly to defending champions New Zealand in a must-win game last week, Ireland had little left to play for.

However, Athapaththu still gave her side a chance of a semi-final spot with a remarkable batting effort that may help Sri Lanka rectify their poor net run rate so far at the tournament.

After 21 games Ireland still continue their search for a first T20 World Cup win. Their final Group B game though takes place against the West Indies on Saturday (2.30pm) at the same ground.

IRELAND XI: Gaby Lewis, Amy Hunter, Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul, Alice Tector, Louise Little, Arlene Kelly, Lara McBride, Cara Murray, Aimee Maguire