Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Athapaththu expressed hope that an Asian team, potentially Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh, will clinch the Women’s World Cup title, a feat yet to be achieved by an Asian nation. Speaking ahead of Sri Lanka’s tournament opener against India, Athapaththu highlighted the significance of playing on home soil, noting that the subcontinental conditions could favour Asian teams.
The Women’s World Cup, historically dominated by Australia (seven titles), England (four), and New Zealand (one), has seen India reach the final twice but fall short against Australia and England.
Sri Lanka, co-hosting the tournament and returning after an eight-year absence, aims to reach the semifinals, leveraging the advantage of playing five of their seven league matches at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium. Athapaththu emphasised a focused approach, cautioning against overthinking the home advantage.
“We know the conditions better than anyone, but we still have to perform,” she said, stressing the need for the batting and bowling units to synchronise effectively to compete against strong teams like India.
Acknowledging India as favourites due to their familiarity with similar conditions, Athapaththu remains confident in Sri Lanka’s recent form, including a runners-up finish in a home tri-nation series and the Asia Cup T20 title last year. Despite limited international matches since the tri-series, a strong domestic season has kept the team’s young and senior players in form.
Athapaththu, a two-season Women’s Premier League veteran, noted the mutual familiarity with India’s experienced squad, predicting that the team better handling pressure will prevail in the opener.
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With a blend of youth and experience, bolstered by home support, Sri Lanka is poised to make an impact. Athapaththu believes her team’s balanced squad can challenge top sides, stating, “It’s not just about me anymore; our youngsters know how to handle pressure.” As the tournament unfolds, Sri Lanka aims to capitalise on their preparation and home advantage to pursue a historic semifinal berth.
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