Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu expects her side to overcome unbeaten India in Sunday’s tournament decider following her unexpected emergence as the joint-leading wicket-taker.
The defending champions face India at the Dubai International Stadium relying heavily on their captain’s tactical shift. While struggling with the bat, scoring just five in the semi-final victory over Pakistan, the skipper has claimed 11 wickets with her off-spin to equal Deepti Sharma at the top of the bowling standings.
Middle Order Absorbs Top Order Pressure
Her early breakthroughs have provided a crucial buffer for an emerging batting lineup. After slipping to 33 for four against Pakistan, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari shared a 67-run partnership to secure a four-wicket victory with eight balls remaining. Those middle-order recoveries echo the resilience seen when the Bryce sisters dismantled Essex to reach the domestic one-day final.
Speaking to CricTracker, the Sri Lanka skipper highlighted her squad’s depth ahead of the summit clash.
“We have good finishers like Harshitha, Nilakshika, Kavisha. Most of the players are playing really good, even the bowling unit. So we have good players. So if we can execute our plans in the final, I think we can beat any team,” she said.
Spin Friendly Conditions Benefit Tactics
Dubai’s slow surfaces have rewarded accurate slow bowling, creating a tactical framework to challenge an Indian batting unit spearheaded by Shafali Verma. India progressed after defeating Bangladesh by 40 runs, though fielding lapses remain a concern for Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad. Such pressure scenarios demand the early disruption demonstrated by Marufa Akter’s powerplay impact earlier in the competition.
The two sides meet at 8:00 pm local time on Sunday to decide the continental title.
