Sri Lanka Women crushed Ireland Women by 9 wickets with 27 balls to spare in the 20th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Bristol. After being invited to bat first, Ireland Women managed to score 130/5 in their 20 overs against the disciplined bowling attack of Sri Lanka Women. Gaby Lewis played a hard-fought knock of 59 runs off 50 balls and built an important 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Leah Paul after Ireland lost three early wickets. Nilakshi de Silva (1/12 in 2 overs) was the most economical and effective bowler for Sri Lanka Women, while Mithali Ayodhya Bandara also bowled a highly economical spell.

In reply, captain Chamari Athapaththu produced one of the finest innings of the tournament, smashing an unbeaten 106 off 61 balls to lead Sri Lanka to a commanding nine-wicket victory over Ireland. Sri Lanka reached the target with 27 balls remaining and lost only one wicket in the chase. Athapaththu's fourth T20I century was also her first hundred in a Women's T20 World Cup. She dominated the chase from the very first ball and finished with one of the most memorable knocks of the tournament. The emphatic win kept Sri Lanka's slim semi-final hopes alive and significantly improved their net run rate.

Ireland Recover After Early Collapse

Ireland struggled badly at the start of their innings. It took them 14 deliveries to score their first run from the bat, and by then they had already lost two wickets. Sri Lanka’s bowlers and fielders applied pressure from the outset, making scoring difficult for the Irish batters.

Despite the poor start, captain Gaby Lewis stepped up and rebuilt the innings. After Rebecca Stokell briefly counterattacked with a few boundaries, Lewis took control of the scoring. She found success with her pull shot and regularly scored through the off side. Her composed innings helped Ireland recover from a difficult position.

Lewis Anchors Ireland’s Fightback

Lewis played a captain’s knock and carried Ireland through the middle overs. She shared a valuable 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Leah Paul, who contributed 20 runs from 41 balls.

Lewis reached her half-century after Paul's dismissal and continued to guide the innings despite the demanding weather conditions. The Irish skipper eventually scored 59 runs from 50 deliveries and provided the backbone of Ireland’s total.

Towards the end of the innings, Alice Tector added momentum with a useful 28 from 21 balls, helping Ireland finish on 130 for 5. While the total appeared competitive, it proved far from enough against an inspired Sri Lankan captain.

Athapaththu Launches Ruthless Chase

Sri Lanka's response began in spectacular fashion. Athapaththu struck her first delivery through the covers for four and never looked back. She attacked the Irish bowlers from the beginning and dominated the powerplay with a series of aggressive boundaries.

The left-hander targeted all parts of the ground but found particular success through cover, square leg and straight down the ground. She hammered nine boundaries in the powerplay and kept the scoreboard moving at a rapid pace. Even after fielding restrictions ended, her attacking approach remained unchanged.

Historic Century Keeps Sri Lanka Alive

Athapaththu reached her fifty from only 29 balls and continued to punish Ireland’s bowlers. One of the highlights of her innings came in the ninth over when she slog-swept Cara Murray for six. The shot marked the 100th six of her international T20 career.

Ireland struggled to contain her. Only Orla Prendergast managed a breakthrough by dismissing opener Imesha Dulani, but that wicket did little to slow Sri Lanka’s charge.

Athapaththu maintained control of the chase throughout and reached her century from just 58 deliveries. By the end of the innings, she had scored 106 not out and accounted for nearly 79 percent of Sri Lanka’s runs. Her remarkable knock ensured Sri Lanka completed the chase comfortably and boosted their net run rate significantly.

Kaushini Nuthyangana Impresses Behind the Stumps

Sri Lanka also received an excellent contribution from wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana. She continued her impressive tournament with several sharp pieces of work behind the stumps.

In the opening over, she produced a brilliant run-out to dismiss Amy Hunter. After collecting the ball quickly, she turned and hit the stumps directly to catch the batter short of her ground.

Nuthyangana later completed a straightforward stumping to remove Orla Prendergast. She added another dismissal when she anticipated Leah Paul’s scoop shot and reacted quickly to take a smart catch. Her alert wicketkeeping helped Sri Lanka maintain pressure throughout Ireland’s innings.

Brief Scorecard