Grameenphone Women CricketTRI - NATION SERIES
SL lift tri-series title
Sri Lanka emerged champions in the Grameenphone Women's tri-nation tournament after beating Pakistan by six wickets in the final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
It was a morale boosting triumph for the Lankans ahead of next month's women's World Cup in Australia.
Electing to bowl first, the Sri Lanka team rode on the efforts of Chamari Polgampola and captain Sashikala Siriwardene's to bundle Pakistan out for a paltry 123. Hiruka Fernando then top scored with 44 as the islanders cantered home for the loss of four wickets with nearly 15 overs to spare.
The sparse crowd in the stadium were disappointed as Pakistan struggled throughout.
They were four down for 37 as opener Nain Abidi failed to carry on her good form into the final, contributing just 13, while skipper Urooj Mumtaz Khan perished on 10. Javeria Khan top-scored with 23 while Sana Mir and Almas Akram both scored 16 to carry Pakistan past the 100 run mark.
The Pakistani's were pegged back throughout as the Sri Lankan's bowled a nagging line and length. Polgampola picked up her first two wickets off successive balls - Qanita Jalil and Bismah Maroof falling with just 14 on the board. She then returned to wrap up the innings with Asmavia Iqbal's wicket for 6.
In reply, Fernando scored an unbeaten 44 and added 29 with Polgampola early in the Lankan innings to see them home in relative comfort.
Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz took two wickets in the space of three balls but Polgampola ensured that Sri Lanka reached the target without further hiccoughs.
Contributing 19 with the bat in an opening stand of 49, she was adjudged both player-of-the-match and of the series for her nine-wicket haul in the tournament.
The emphatic win saw Sri Lanka, who would have been unbeaten champions of the tournament had they not lost to Bangladesh, justify their standing as favourites in the match.
"Although we lost to Bangladesh, we were confident in the morning that we will win today's match because our batsmen are in form. At no stage did I think that we could lose the match, even when we lost two quick wickets because there are 7 all-rounders in the team," said the victorious Sashikala.
The Sri Lankan captain also added that she expected more crowds in Dhaka but appreciated the other venues again, quoting them as a good environment to play cricket in.
The visitors return home today where they have less than a fortnight to prepare for the World Cup. Both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are in the same pool in next month's showpiece tournament where they will meet on March 9, at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.
BRIEF SCORE
PAKISTAN: 123 all out (Javeria 23, Sana Mir 16, Almas Akram 16, extras 14; Polgampola 3-16, Sashikala 3-24)
SRI LANKA: 124-4 (Fernando 44*, De Silva 27, De Alwis 12*, extras 20; Urooj 2-16)
Result: Sri Lanka won by six wickets
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