Lanka crush Thailand

Sports Reporter :
Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket team crushed Thailand Women’s Cricket team by 49 runs in their group match of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet on Tuesday.
Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka piled up a fighting total of 156 for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 20 overs and then restricted Thailand to 107 for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs.
Sri Lanka made an auspicious start as openers Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu put on together 63 runs in the opening stand before Chamari (12) was caught behind by wicketkeeper Nannapat Koncharoenkai off Suleeporn Laomi.
One-down Hasini Perera (6) was run out by a joint-effort of Naruemol Chaiwai and Koncharoenkai when Sri Lanka’s total was 78 for the loss of two wickets.
After Hasini’s dismissal, Harshitha and Nilakshi de Silva built a worthy partnership. They scored together 61 runs for the third wicket partnership before Harshitha was bowled out by Nattaya Boochatham when the islanders’ score was 139 for the loss of three wickets.
Harshitha notched up a marvelous 81. Her 69-ball innings was laced with 10 fours. Harshitha was adjudged the Player of the Match for her outstanding batting display.
Nilakshi remained unbeaten with 39 runs. Her 21-ball knock saw two sixes and three fours.
Thipatcha Putthawong bagged two wickets in the space of 26 runs, while Laomi and Boochatham took one wicket each for 15 and 36 runs respectively.
Later, Thailand lost their early two wickets for 41 runs.
Then, Chaiwai and Chanida Sutthiruang built their only notable partnership. They put on together 36 runs in the third wicket stand before Chaiwai (19) was bowled out by Kavisha Dilhari when Thailand’s score was 77 for the loss of three wickets.
Chanida remained unbeaten with 37 runs. Her 42-ball innings had three fours.
Earlier, opener Nannapat made 25 from 21 balls featuring four fours.
Achini Kulasuriya bagged two wickets at the cost of 19 runs, while Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Kavisha Dilhari took one wicket each 14, 19 and 20 runs respectively.