Athapaththu & Nilakshika Shine as Sri Lanka Stun New Zealand

By Harshit - Oct 14, 2025 07:21 PM
Last updated on Oct 14, 2025 07:21 PM

Sri Lanka’s Women’s ODI World Cup clash against New Zealand at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on October 14, 2025, unfolded as a masterclass in balance: measured batting early, a tricky middle phase, and an electrifying finish. Captain Chamari Athapaththu led with composure and classical timing, while Nilakshika De Silva provided the late-innings fireworks that turned a good total into a truly challenging one. The match became as much a contest of temperament as of technique.

From the powerplay’s positive intent to the heart-rate-raising death overs, Sri Lanka showed the three essential ingredients of a competitive ODI innings — foundation, recovery and finish. New Zealand, in reply, were left to rue a handful of missed chances in the field and a failure to stop the boundaries in the closing overs. When the lights took over and the scoreboard ticked to 258/6, the contest had been tilted decisively in Sri Lanka’s favour.

This blog unpacks the match in full — the toss and tactics, the key partnerships, the turning points and the implications for both teams in the tournament. Expect ball-by-ball moments distilled into narrative form, insight on pivotal spells, and a clear takeaway on what this result means moving forward.

Toss, Teams & Match Context

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat on a Colombo strip that promised early strokeplay but was expected to slow under lights. The hosts made a bold call to promote the young Vishmi Gunaratne to the top alongside captain Chamari Athapaththu; New Zealand made tactical tweaks too, introducing Bree Illing to adjust their bowling balance. The match carried added urgency — Sri Lanka needing a win to bounce back in the campaign, and New Zealand aiming to consolidate momentum.

Conditions were typical Premadasa: humid air, the possibility of late swing and, importantly, a crowd ready to roar for the home team. With the powerplay offering fielding restrictions and scoring opportunities, early intent mattered — and both sides approached the game with clear tactical plans.

Sri Lanka Innings — Foundation, Fluctuation, Finish

Sri Lanka’s innings unfolded in three distinct acts. The opening act was built on a superb 101-run partnership between Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne, a stand that set the tone and gave the middle order a platform. Athapaththu played with characteristic control and elegance, timing seven crisp fours during a 53-ball knock that relied on placement rather than power. Gunaratne complemented the skipper with a patient 42, exploiting the powerplay to keep the scoreboard moving.

The middle overs comprised the second act: consolidation and a mini collapse. Hasini Perera (44) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (26) steadied the ship with a 58-run partnership after a couple of quick dismissals threatened momentum. New Zealand’s bowlers — particularly Rosemary Mair — then applied pressure, picking up crucial wickets in a short span and briefly stalling Sri Lanka’s acceleration. A couple of dismissals in quick succession meant Sri Lanka had to rebuild and plan for a late assault rather than a sustained onslaught.

The final act arrived in furious fashion courtesy Nilakshika De Silva. Her unbeaten 55 off 28 balls — the fastest fifty of the tournament to that point — detonated in the death overs. She struck seven boundaries and a six, including three boundaries in Sophie Devine’s final over, raising the last five overs’ run rate dramatically and pushing Sri Lanka to 258/6. That late blitz converted a defendable score into a truly challenging target.

Chamari Athapaththu — Class and Calm

Athapaththu’s 53 (72) was a masterclass in pacing an innings. She started aggressively with a gorgeous cover drive off the second ball and settled into a rhythm of rotation and selective aggression. Her 20th ODI fifty was marked by excellent shot selection: crisp cuts, deft drives and a willingness to find gaps rather than gamble. When Sophie Devine deceived her with a slower delivery later, Athapaththu departed — but only after doing precisely what a captain ought to: anchor the innings and set a platform for the finishers.

The tactical value of her innings was obvious: with Athapaththu anchoring, Sri Lanka could both preserve wickets through the middle and then ramp up as overs remained. Her calm presence allowed the likes of Perera and Gunaratne to bat freely knowing a pillar stood firm at the other end.

Vishmi Gunaratne & Middle-Order Resilience

The young Vishmi Gunaratne produced a measured 42 off 83 balls, playing the role of sensible foil to her captain. Their 101 opening stand exploited the powerplay restrictions effectively — 52 without loss in the first ten overs — and provided the cushion Sri Lanka needed when the middle order faced testing spells.

When wickets fell, Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama put together a valuable 58-run partnership to steady proceedings. That stand prevented the innings from collapsing and ensured Sri Lanka had wickets in hand for a late charge. Although New Zealand’s bowlers produced a timely burst to remove a few set batters, the earlier foundations had already limited the damage.

Nilakshika De Silva — The Game Changer

Nilakshika’s cameo was the definitive turning point. Walking in with the scoreboard hovering and overs running out, she adopted a devastatingly simple plan: attack, clear the ropes, and keep the scoreboard moving. Her 55* off 28 featured seven fours and a six; more importantly, it came at a tempo that left New Zealand with too little time to recover.

Her three boundaries in the final over from Sophie Devine were the punctuation mark on a superb finish. Those late overs — where Sri Lanka collected nearly 47 runs in the last five — were the difference between a par total and a daunting target.

New Zealand — Fielding Lapses and Fightback Attempts

New Zealand’s match was defined as much by missed fielding opportunities as by bowling sequences. Early drops of both openers and a couple of sloppy ground fielding moments added runs that, in a close contest, proved costly. Missed run-out opportunities compounded the issue and frustrated the White Ferns’ plans to squeeze Sri Lanka in the middle overs.

That said, New Zealand did show signs of recovery. Their bowlers tightened lines in phases, and at times they successfully choked boundary options, forcing Sri Lanka to rely on risky singles. The team’s ability to regroup mattered but ultimately wasn’t enough to prevent Nilakshika’s late onslaught.

New Zealand’s Chase — Pressure, Spin and an Uphill Task

Chasing 259 required New Zealand to maintain a brisk scoring rate while avoiding further fielding lapses. Early phases of the chase were cautious, with openers looking to rotate strike and build a platform. Sri Lanka’s bowlers — including their spinners — exploited the pitch’s gradual grip and varied pace, making boundary scoring increasingly difficult through the middle overs.

As the required rate climbed, the pressure shifted onto New Zealand’s middle order and finishers. The presence of dew later in the day could have been a factor for batters, but the combination of Sri Lankan discipline and New Zealand’s earlier errors meant the chase tilted firmly in favour of the hosts. The final outcome hinged on whether the White Ferns could find a late-innings acceleration without losing key wickets.

Turning Points & Match Takeaways

The clear turning point was Nilakshika’s late blitz — a short, explosive cameo that changed the match’s psychology and scoreboard impact. Had Sri Lanka finished on around 230–240, New Zealand might have felt the target was within reach; Nilakshika’s 55* pushed the margin into a zone that required near-flawless execution from the chase.

Overall, the game showcased Sri Lanka’s evolving ODI temperament: a patient opening, middle-order recovery, and a fearless finish. For New Zealand, it highlighted the cost of dropped chances and the necessity of consistent fielding, especially in World Cup pressure games. This match will be remembered for the contrasting styles of Athapaththu’s composed leadership and Nilakshika’s ruthless acceleration.

Implications for the Tournament

Sri Lanka’s emphatic finish gives them momentum and belief — both crucial in a tournament where confidence can swing quickly. The performance also emphasises the value of flexible batting orders and the payoff from promoting in-form youngsters like Gunaratne.

For New Zealand, the lesson is clear: discipline in the field and sharper death bowling are non-negotiable at this level. If they can tighten those areas, they remain strong contenders; if not, teams like Sri Lanka will punish even small lapses.

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