SL W vs PAK W: Sri Lanka seal T20I series 2-0 with clinical batting display in Dambulla

Sri Lanka dished out yet another riveting batting performance on Sunday (August 2) to seal the ongoing three-match T20I series 2-0, winning the second fixture at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium by six wickets.

Chasing a sizeable 176 runs to win, Sri Lanka lost their previous game's centurion, Imesha Dulani, for just 11 runs on the board. But Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and Sanjana Kavindi exhibited ball-striking of the highest order to decimate Pakistan's bowling attack and put the early setback behind themselves.

While both batters were ultra-aggressive, Athapaththu was more aggressive of the two. The southpaw raced to 40 off just 15 balls with the help of five boundaries and three sixes at a thumping strike rate of 266.66. Athapaththu was marching towards a well-deserved half-century before she holed out at deep midwicket attempting a slog sweep against Umm-e-Hani on the first ball of the sixth over.

Pakistan wanted to wrestle back momentum at the fall of Athapaththu's wicket, but Kavindi's presence at the wicket denied them the opportunity. Kavindi picked up from where Athapaththu left and powered her way to a 24-ball 46, reducing Pakistan's hopes of making a comeback to dust.

Kavindi struck six boundaries and two sixes at a whopping strike rate of 191.66. She lobbed a caught-and-bowled opportunity to Ayesha Zafar in the 11th over and fell four shy of a commanding fifty.

Vishmi Gunaratne (31 off 29) and Harshitha Samarawickrama then added 40 runs for the fourth wicket to ensure they shut the door down on Pakistan's face. Samarawickrama remained unbeaten till the end, scoring 37 off 22 balls, including eight boundaries at a strike rate of 168.18. She took the hosts over the line with 14 balls to spare.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan women stand-in captain Muneeba Ali Siddiqui won the toss and decided to set a total on the board. Pakistan couldn't have asked for a better start as Muneeba and Shawaal Zulfiqar added 90 runs for the opening wicket in just 9.5 overs.

Muneeba looked fluent, smashing six fours and a six during her 30-ball 45, whereas Zulfiqar complemented her captain well with a 35-ball 48. Both players fell marginally short of their fifties and got out within a span of 11 balls.

The back-to-back wickets allowed Sri Lanka to sneak back into the contest, and they capitalised well by bowling a string of dot balls. They also removed Saira Jabeen and Zafar in quick succession, but an unbeaten 19-ball 30 by Eyman Fatima led the lower-order resurgence and powered the tourists to 175 for the loss of five wickets.

Chamudi Praboda (2/27) was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers as she accounted for both the openers.