Sri Lanka Women crushed Indonesia Women by 75 runs in the low-scoring sixth match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in Dubai. After being invited to bat first, Sri Lanka Women posted 124/7 in 20 overs.

Sri Lanka were in serious trouble after being reduced to 62/6 in the 13th over. However, Nilakshi de Silva held the innings together and scored 50 off 35 balls. Her aggressive late hitting helped Sri Lanka reach 124/7 on a slow pitch.

Indonesia made a positive start to the chase. Maria Corazon and Rahmawati Pangestuti added 16 runs in the opening two overs. However, Sri Lanka soon introduced spin, and Indonesia’s scoring rate dropped sharply.

Indonesia eventually collapsed and were bowled out for just 49 in the 19th over. Athapaththu (7/5 in 3.3 overs) led the destruction and also completed a hat-trick during her sensational spell.

Sri Lanka lose wickets while searching for boundaries

Sri Lanka were asked to bat first on a fresh surface. However, the defending champions struggled to adapt to the slow conditions. The Sri Lankan top order repeatedly looked for boundaries but failed to time their shots properly. Instead of rotating the strike, the batters focused heavily on hitting fours and sixes.

Sri Lanka scored 31 runs in the powerplay but lost two wickets. The innings also contained 19 dot balls during the first six overs. The pressure continued after the powerplay. By the halfway stage, Sri Lanka had accumulated 28 dot balls and lost five wickets for 47 runs.

Indonesia's bowlers deserve credit for their disciplined performance. They used their field placements effectively and consistently bowled deliveries that made it difficult for Sri Lanka's batters to score freely.

Sanjana Kavindi managed to reach 15 after hitting two well-timed boundaries. However, she was the only batter among Sri Lanka's top five to cross double figures. Her innings ended when she missed a cut shot against a straight delivery.

Nilakshi produces a crucial rescue act

With Sri Lanka running out of recognised batters, Nilakshi de Silva took responsibility for rebuilding the innings. She initially added 17 runs with Kaushini Nuthyangana from 18 balls. After Nuthyangana was dismissed, Nilakshika changed gears and took charge of the lower order.

The Sri Lankan batter showed excellent composure while batting with the tail. She encouraged Kawya Kavindi to keep the scoreboard moving by taking singles and rotating the strike. Whenever Indonesia offered an opportunity, Nilakshi attacked with confidence. She also struck Sri Lanka's only six of the innings in the penultimate over.

The seventh-wicket partnership between Nilakshika and Kawya eventually produced 50 runs from 36 balls. Nilakshika reached her third T20I half-century at the same time, scoring 50 from 35 deliveries. Her innings proved decisive because Sri Lanka had looked unlikely to reach a competitive total when they were six wickets down for 62.

Athapaththu destroys Indonesia's chase

Sri Lanka's bowling attack initially included Chethana Vimukthi and Kawya Kavindi. However, the slow pitch did not offer much advantage to the quicker bowlers. Indonesia's opening pair took advantage during the first two overs and collected 16 runs. Sri Lanka then introduced spin, which completely changed the contest.

Athapaththu immediately made an impact. She bowled Pangestuti and then removed Corazon and Rada Rani with consecutive deliveries in her next over. She came extremely close to taking a hat-trick at that stage. Her yorker narrowly missed Desi Wulandari's off stump.

Athapaththu returned to the attack in the 14th over and dismissed Nanda Sakarini. She then returned later to finish the innings in spectacular fashion. The Sri Lankan captain took three wickets with the final three deliveries of the innings to complete her hat-trick.

Indonesia collapse after promising start

Indonesia had begun their chase with confidence, but the introduction of spin exposed their struggles against the slower bowling. After making 16 runs in the first two overs, Indonesia's scoring slowed dramatically. Wickets began to fall regularly, leaving the team unable to build any meaningful partnership.

Athapaththu's seven-wicket haul eventually ended the contest. Her figures of 7 for 5 were the best of her career and included a hat-trick. Indonesia were bowled out for 49 in the 19th over, giving Sri Lanka a convincing 75-run victory.

The result highlighted the importance of Nilakshika's fighting fifty and Athapaththu's extraordinary bowling spell. On a difficult batting surface, Sri Lanka's ability to recover from 62 for 6 and then dominate with the ball ensured that the defending champions secured a comfortable win.

Brief Scorecard