The Sri Lankan Women’s Cricket Team registered the highest-ever run chase in One-day international cricket. They achieved this feat during 3rd match of the series against South Africa played at Potchefstroom on 17th April 2024. These three matches are a part of the ICC ODI Women’s Championship for 2022-25.
Chasing down a massive target of 302 runs, Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu played with intent putting pressure on the South African bowlers. Vismi Gunaratne and Sri Lankan captain Chamari added 90 runs for the opening wicket.
Sri Lanka lost 3 quick wickets of Weerakody, Hasnima Karaunate, and Kavisha Dilhari. Chamari then showed her class putting the South African bowlers under immense pressure reaching fifty off 41 balls. After completing her fifty, the left-handed Sri Lankan legend kept the pressure on the South African bowlers hitting them for runs easily not allowing them to settle.
Chamari completed his century off 78 balls to keep the Sri Lankan team in the hunt. She made the batting look easy along with Nilakshi De Silva. Both continued to showcase their class. The Sri Lankan captain looked comfortable with her stroke play keeping scoreboard ticking. Atapattu finished the match with a six that helped the Sri Lankan women win in 44.3 overs. Chamari made 195 not out off 139 balls with 26 fours and 5 sixes. For her match-winning efforts, the Sri Lankan captain was named the player of the match award.
With this win, Sri Lankan women drew the 3-match ODI series at 1-1. The first ODI was washed out due to rain before South African women registered an emphatic win in the 2nd ODI to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Australian team held the previous record of successful highest run chase in Women’s ODI. They chased down 289 against New Zealand in 2012.
List of Records Broken During the 3rd ODI between Sri Lankan Women versus South African women
- The Sri Lankan team became the first country to score 300 runs in Women’s One-day international cricket.
- Chamari and Laura broke the record for the highest aggregate scored by captains in ODIs. Both scored 379 runs in the entire match. Virat Kohli scored 139 not out while Mathews made 139 not out in Ranchi in 2014.
- Chamari Atapattu scored 195 not out while Laura Woolvardt 184 not out became the first pair of scores above 175 either men or women.
- Chamari Atapattu registered the 3rd highest individual score in women’s ODI of 195 not out while Laura Woolvardt entered into the record list with an unbeaten 184 not out in the first innings. Amelia Kerr is at the number 1 spot scoring 232 not out against Ireland in 2018 while Belinda Clarke scored 229 against Denmark in the 1997 World Cup.
- Chamari 195 is the highest score while chasing in women’s ODI cricket. The previous best was by Meg Lanning of 152 against Sri Lanka during the 2017 World Cup played in England and Wales. Glenn Maxwell posted highest run score in run chase against Afghanistan during WC 2023. Maxwell made 201 not out that helped Australia win from 91 for 7 to winning the match.
- Sri Lankan captain Chamari became the first player with scores above 175 plus runs in women’s ODI. She made 178 against Australia during the World Cup 2017.
- Laura Woolvardt posted the highest-ever individual score by South African player in the Women’s ODI. Johmari Logtenberg scored 153 not out against the Netherlands in 2007.
- The partnership between Chamari and Nilakshi De Silva is the second highest for SL women in ODIs. Chamari and Nilakshi added unbeaten 190 runs for the third wicket against New Zealand in 2003.
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