Match Report 1st T20I Between New Zealand Women and Sri

Match Report: 1st T20I Between New Zealand Women and Sri Lanka Women – NZ vs SL [W] 2024/25, March 14, 2025

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Sri Lanka secured a seven-wicket victory over New Zealand in the T20I series opener in Christchurch, chasing down 102 runs after the hosts were bowled out for just 101. Debutant Malki Madara starred with the ball, taking 3 for 14, while Kavisha Dilhari and Inoshi Priyadharshani contributed with two wickets each. Emma McLeod was New Zealand’s top scorer with 44, but the team struggled with partnerships. Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu played a key role, scoring an unbeaten 64 off 48 balls, leading her team to victory with 35 balls to spare. This marked Sri Lanka’s first T20I win in New Zealand.

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Sri Lanka 102 for 3 (Athapaththu 64*, Kerr 2-18) defeated New Zealand 101 (McLeod 44, Madara 3-14, Dilhari 2-18, Priyadharshani 2-25) by seven wickets

On a successful T20I series opener in Christchurch, debutant Malki Madara’s three wickets, along with two each from Kavisha Dilhari and Inoshi Priyadharshani, paved the way for a convincing win for Sri Lanka. Chamari Athapaththu’s stellar 64 not out off 48 balls propelled the visitors to a seven-wicket victory. This marked Sri Lanka’s first T20I triumph in New Zealand and their second overall win against New Zealand in this format.

Emma McLeod contributed 44 runs, making her New Zealand’s top scorer, but only two other players managed to reach double figures, with just one partnership exceeding 20 balls.

Though Priyadharshani dismissed Georgia Plimmer early on, the home team started well with captain Suzie Bates scoring 21 runs off 14 balls. In the fifth over, Madara, who was Sri Lanka’s fourth bowler, claimed the crucial wicket of Bates, which stunted New Zealand’s scoring momentum. The following two overs yielded just five runs.

Introduced in the ninth over, Dilhari, the seventh bowler, struck twice, causing New Zealand to collapse from 39 for 1 to 52 for 4. The run out of Maddy Green forced New Zealand into a more cautious approach, evident by the combined 29 runs scored off the next 41 balls across two partnerships.

McLeod, who had hit three fours in her first five deliveries, finished her 46-ball innings without adding to that total. She was the final New Zealand batter to be dismissed, as Madara concluded the innings in the penultimate over.

Athapaththu then scored seven fours, leading Sri Lanka to 46 for 0 at the end of the powerplay. Jess Kerr took out Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama in consecutive overs, while Dilhari’s innings ended with a run out. Despite slipping to 66 for 3, their captain continued to play aggressively.

Following Dilhari’s exit, she hit Eden Carson for four and struck two sixes along with a four off Bree Illing, with the first six bringing up her fifty off 43 balls. This left the hosts with little chance of mounting a comeback, as Sri Lanka cruised to victory with 35 balls remaining.

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