Womens T20 World Cup 2026

FOUR! Chamari Athapaththu finishes off in style! Tossed up, outside off, Chamari Athapaththu steps out and drives it over extra cover for a boundary. Sri Lanka Women beat Ireland Women by 9 wickets, with 27 balls to spare.

Flatter, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu flicks it to the fielder at short fine leg.

Scores are level now. Full, on leg, Nilakshika Silva flicks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Short, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu pulls it over mid-wicket for a single. Just 2 more runs needed for the win now.

A yorker, on off, Nilakshika Silva digs it to long off for a single.

Short and wide, Nilakshika Silva looks to slap it but misses.

HUNDRED UP FOR CHAMARI ATHAPATHTHU! What a magnificent knock. A few days back, she called herself a failure as a captain, but she has responded here in style. Full, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu knocks it to mid on for a single. That is her first hundred in the Women's T20 World Cup. She takes off her helmet and points to her name on the back of her shirt. Truly special!

Full, on off, Chamari Athapaththu blocks it to the left of the bowler.

FOUR! Chamari Athapaththu moves to 99 now! What a knock this has been. Full and outside off, Chamari Athapaththu picks it well and drills it past point for a boundary.

Wide! Sways it down leg, Chamari Athapaththu looks to flick it but misses.

DRINKS BREAK! Sri Lanka Women just need 11 more runs now. Chamari Athapaththu is just 5 runs away from a magnificent century as well. It is going to be easy for Sri Lanka Women. They needed a big win to stay alive in this competition, and that is exactly what Chamari Athapaththu has provided them. The result is inevitable here, and all Ireland Women can try to do is delay it.

Much fuller, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Chamari Athapaththu moves to 94 now! A slower one, outside off, Chamari Athapaththu reads it well and lifts it magnificently over extra cover for a boundary.

Another dot from Orla Prendergast. Full, on off, Chamari Athapaththu moves forward and taps it to point.

Back of a length, down leg, Chamari Athapaththu looks to block it but wears it high on her pads.

Beaten! Back of a length, outside off, Chamari Athapaththu looks to cut it but misses.

Short, on leg, Nilakshika Silva pulls it to backward square leg for a single.

Sri Lanka Women are 114/1 after 13 overs. They just need 17 more runs to win. Orla Prendergast continues...

Tossed up, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu sweeps it to the fielder at short fine leg.

FOUR! Chamari Athapaththu moves to 90 now! Tossed up, outside off, Chamari Athapaththu takes a step forward and drives it over extra cover for a boundary.

Slower through the air, a full toss, Nilakshika Silva sweeps it through mid-wicket for a single.

Flatter, on off, Chamari Athapaththu drills it to long off for a single.

SIX! This goes the distance! Full and on off, Chamari Athapaththu stays in her crease and powers it all theway over long off for a biggie.

FOUR! The onslaught continues from Chamari Athapaththu! Full and on leg, Chamari Athapaththu gets down on one knee and slogs it over backward square leg for a boundary.

Finally, a wicket for Ireland Women. Nilakshika Silva walks in to bat now. Also, Aimee Maguire comes into the attack.

OUT! TIMBER! Orla Prendergast gets a breakthrough, finally. Hard length, on middle, and slower too, with a hint of inward movement. Imesha Dulani leans on and looks to block it but the ball sneaks between her bat and her pad and rattles over the leg pole. Ireland Women finally get a wicket. Sri Lanka Women are 98/1 after 12 overs now.

Sees the batter coming down the track and bowls a bouncer, Imesha Dulani tries to pull it but misses.

Angling in, on leg, Imesha Dulani blocks it to the on side.

Follows the batter down leg, Chamari Athapaththu shuffles across and steers it through point for a single.

Nice and full, on off, Chamari Athapaththu digs it back to the bowler.

Short, on off, Imesha Dulani pulls it over mid-wicket for a single.

Full, on leg, Chamari Athapaththu sweeps it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! The onslaught continues from Chamari Athapaththu! Tossed up, on off, Chamari Athapaththu shummies down the ground and drills it over the bowler's head for a boundary. She tried to catch that but it went past her like a bullet.

Wide! Tossed up, down leg, Chamari Athapaththu looks to sweep it but misses.

Turn and bounce, on leg, Imesha Dulani tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

An appeal but turned down. Tossed up, on leg, Imesha Dulani gets low and looks to sweep it but misses. A loud confident appeal for the bowler but nothing from the umpire. They send it upstairs to have a check. Fair delivery and nothing on UltraEdge. Ball Tracking shows that the impact was outside leg. The on-field decision stands NOT OUT.

FOUR! Through the gap! Short and outside off, Imesha Dulani rocks onto her backfoot and slaps it past the left of diving fielder at cover for a boundary.

Tossed up, on middle, Imesha Dulani leans on and blocks it back to the bowler.

Halfway stage! Sri Lanka Women need 45 runs in 60 balls. They will also have to keep an eye on the NRR and will look to try and finish this game as early as possible. For Ireland Women, it will take a miracle for them to get back in this game, but stranger things have happened in cricket.

Pitched up and around off, Chamari Athapaththu drills it square through point for a brace.

FOUR! Excellent shot but sloppy fielding! Fuller delivery, on off, Chamari Athapaththu gets her hands through the drive and plays it crisply towards cover. Louise Little is a litte late to bend down and lets it through for a boundary.

Close! Good length and on off, angles in, Imesha Dulani looks to push it away but misses. The ball misses the off pole by a whisker and the keeper fails to collect it cleanly. A bye taken.

Full again and on off, Imesha Dulani steers it away to backward point.

Slower, full and around off, Imesha Dulani stabs it out towards extra cover.

Fuller and on leg, Chamari Athapaththu backs away and drills it to long on for a single.

Quicker, full and on leg, Imesha Dulani paddles it to short fine.

A full toss, on middle, Chamari Athapaththu forces it to long on for a run.

Slows it up, shortish and on middle, Chamari Athapaththu stays back and keeps it out.

SIX! Up, up and away! Flighted, full and on middle, Chamari Athapaththu sits down on one knee, gets up and down and smokes it over the deep-wicket fence for a biggie. That is her 100th six in WT20Is.

DROPPED! That should have been taken! This is short and on middle, Imesha Dulani moves back and pulls it but fails to get the elevation. It flies straight to mid-wicket. where Leah Paul tries to grab it with a reverse cup but it bursts through her hands. The cross.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Chamari Athapaththu thumps it down to long off for a single.

Fires this one, full and around leg, Imesha Dulani paddles it away to short fine.

FOUR! Put away! Shorter in length and well outside off. Imesha Dulani aceepts the width on offer, rocks back and cuts it away through point for a boundary.

Tossed up, full and around leg, Chamari Athapaththu uses her feet and drills it uppishly but past the bowler, down to long off for a run.

Flatter, full and on the pads, Chamari Athapaththu tucks it to short fine.

Flighted, full and on middle, Imesha Dulani clips it through mid-wicket for a single.

Floated, full and around off, Imesha Dulani goes for the reverse sweep but fails to connect.

Short again, outside off, Chamari Athapaththu looks to cut but slices it wide of short third for a brace.

Dragged back, around off, Chamari Athapaththu swats it o wide mid on.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR ATHAPATHTHU! She gets to it in some style as well. Floated, full and on middle, Chamari Athapaththu gets down on one knee and nails the slog sweep towards the deep mid-wicket fence for a one-bounce four. Her first fifty of this World Cup, and she acknowledges it with a gentle punch in the air.

Flighted, full and on middle, Imesha Dulani eases it to long on for a run.

Short and around off, Imesha Dulani punches it wide of cover, where the fielder dives to her right to make a half-stop.

Tossed up, full and on off, Chamari Athapaththu lofts it on the bounce to long off for a single.

DRINKS! Sri Lanka Women are cruising along in this chase at the moment. Chamari Athapaththu has been at her absolute best, nearing what would be a fantastic fifty, while Imesha Dulani is playing second fiddle. The game is getting away from Ireland Women, and the only way for them to get back is to pick up wickets and pick them up in bunches, which does not look likely at the moment. Also, Cara Murray to bowl after the break.

Short of a length and on off, Imesha Dulani looks to guide it away but gets a bottom edge to the leg side. Sri Lanka Women are 55 for no loss at the end of the Powerplay!

Pitched up and on the pads, Imesha Dulani tucks it towards square leg.

FOUR! Imesha Dulani gets into the act now. Just a bit fuller and outside off, Imesha Dulani gets the chance to free her arms, drives it on the up nad crunches it through covers for a boundary.

Back of a length and on leg, Chamari Athapaththu stays back and heaves it through square leg for a single.

Good length and on off, Chamari Athapaththu opens the bat face and steers it wide of short third. The fielder dives to her right to make a fine stop.

Fuller and around off, Chamari Athapaththu tries to drive it a bit too hard and bunts it out towards short cover.

Beaten! From around the stump, this is dished out full and flat, outside off. Imesha Dulani is not quite up to the pitch of the ball, and tries to drive away from her body, but gets beaten on the outside edge by a whisker.

50 up for Sri Lanka Women! In just 4.5 overs. Short on off. Chamari Athapaththu hangs deep in the crease and powers the pull shot to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Dealing only in boundaries, is the Sri Lankan captain! Drops it full and in front of the stumps. Chamari Athapaththu sits down on a knee and nails the sweep shot between the huge gap between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Very full again, on middle. Chamari advances and flicks it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! Just toying around with the field now! Another half-volley on middle, Chamari Athapaththu crouches a bit and swipes it over the square leg fielder to find the fence for her eighth boundary.

FOUR! Wonderful timing, quality batting! Pitched full and spinning in from middle. Chamari Athapaththu clears the front leg and whips it over mid-wicket, finding the gap with ease for a boundary.

Drifting down leg, full in length. Imesha Dulani misses to connect the sweep shot and the ball rolls off her front pad to backward square leg. A muted appeal for LBW, but dies down almost instantly as the umpire is unmoved.

A bit round-armish, on a length. Chamari Athapaththu rocks back and drags it to long on for a single.

FOUR! Rinse and repeat! Absolute carnage by Athapaththu. Identical line and length. Full around off. Chamari Athapaththu again skips down the track and lifts it inside out over extra cover for a boundary on the bounce. Sri Lanka need 95 runs.

FOUR! This is just brilliant batting. Serves it on the platter, does McBride. A half-volley, on off. Chamari Athapaththu dances down the track and lofts it magnificently over and between cover and mid off for a cracking boundary.

Full and around off. Chamari Athapaththu leans on and defends it back to the bowler.

Drops it too short from around the stumps. Chamari Athapaththu lets the ball drift in and pulls it powerfully over mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Sri Lanka Women have started well and are 26 for no loss after 3 overs. Lara McBride comes into the attack now.

Fullish this time around, on off. A confident front foot push by Chamari, to the left of mid off, fetches her an easy single. 11 runs off the over.

BEATEN! Back of a length, angled outside off. Chamari Athapaththu tries to hammer it through cover, but misses as the ball nips away off the seam and beats the outside edge.

FOUR! Feeding to her strengths! Too short on middle and off. Chamari Athapaththu rocks back and pulls it to the deep mid-wicket region for one more boundary. Sri Lanka are flying in the run chase.

FOUR! Slashed powerfully, up and over! Width on offer from Kelly. On a good length, wide outside off, curving away. Chamari Athapaththu slashes hard at it and knifes it over backward point to pick up another boundary.

Again a full ball, on off, Chamari Athapaththu powers it away to mid off.

Fantastic piece of fielding by Lara McBride! Full and wide outside off. Chamari Athapaththu gets low and tries to smash it hard over the cover region, but gets a thick outside edge. The ball rolls to the left of the short third fielder and is hauled back nicely and cleanly by Lara McBride who gives it a long chase. Saves two for her team.

Nips in a touch, full on leg. Chamari Athapaththu looks to block, but the ball squirts off her inside edge to the left of the mid-wicket fielder. They cross.

Shapes away a bit, good length, outside off. Dulani reaches out and cuts it to deep backward point for another run.

Slightly back of a length, around off. Chamari Athapaththu steers it off the back foot to deep backward point for a single.

FOUR! Helped away! Fuller in length, outside leg, keeps angling down. Chamari Athapaththu whips it off her pads through the gap at backward square leg for a boundary.

Much better now! Tight line on the leg stump, on a good length. Chamari Athapaththu bunts it down the pitch.

Full in length, on the leg stump. Imesha again moves across the crease and scoops it off the toe end. The shot has no power and plugs behind short fine leg for a single.

WIDE! A loosener from Orla. Miles down leg, on a fuller length. Imesha Dulani shuffles across to play the lap shot, but misses. Wide called.

Good over despite the boundary. Orla Prendergast to bowl from the other end.

At 73.3 kph, this is a short ball that keeps drifting into the batter. Dulani hangs back and hammers it to deep mid-wicket for an easy single. 6 runs off the first over. Sri Lanka Women need 125 runs from 114 balls.

Around off and middle, spinning in. Chamari Athapaththu pulls the length ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Dropped short, outside off. Chamari Athapaththu camps back and punches it to the cover fielder.

Similar line and length, Chamari lets the ball dip and turn and defends it to the right of the bowler.

Pitched full and around off. Chamari prods forward and pushes it back to the bowler.

FOUR! How about that for a start? Tossed up, full and outside off. Chamari Athapaththu gets on the front foot and smashes it through the cover and mid off gap for a boundary. Sri Lanka Women and Chamari Athapaththu are underway in some style.

Just a single to the end the innings! Mithali Ayodhya goes full again, on middle, Alice Tector backs away and lobs it towards extra cover, where it just lands in front of the fielder. They cross. Ireland Women finish on 130/5!

Pitched up and on off, shapes away a bit, Alice Tector tries to make room but moves too far down leg and fails to reach this time.

FOUR! Two in two! A slower one, full and outside off. Alice Tector uses her feet but is still far away from the ball. She manages to reach out and get enough power to thump it past mid off for another boundary.

FOUR! Much-needed for Ireland Women! Mithali Ayodhya just misses the yorker, on middle. Alice Tector premeditates the scoop by shuffling across. She takes it on the full and scoops it over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Fuller and angling into leg, Louise Little misses her flick as the ball goes off her pads towards backward square leg. Leg bye taken.

Right in the blockhole, on middle, Alice Tector digs it out towards square leg for a single.

Mithali Ayodhya (3-1-8-1) to bowl the final over

A full toss, outside off, Alice Tector slaps it towards extra cover, where the fielder gets a hand on it to take the sting out of it. Imesha Dulani from cover runs after it and stops it ahead of the ropes, but her throws is a weak one and the batters get the third run.

Flighted, full and around off, Alice Tector drives it through covers for a brace.

Looped up, full and on off, Louise Little drills it to mid off for a run.

The next batter in is Louise Little

OUT! CASTLED! Skipper gets skipper here. Chamari Athapaththu bowls this a bit quicker, full and on middle and leg. Gaby Lewis uses her feet to go inside out through covers but the ball sneaks past her bat and rattles into the stumps behind. End of a fine knock for the Irish skipper.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Alice Tector chips it to long on for a single.

Floated, full and on off, Alice Tector pushes it to extra cover.

Darts this one, full and on off, Gaby Lewis goes down and and across for the sweep but misses and gets hit on the pads.

Fires this one, full and on middle, Alice Tector drills it to long on for one.

Superb effort! This is dragged back, on leg, Gaby Lewis uses her feet and heaves it aerially towards deep square leg. Imesha Dulani runs forward and dives but just fails to hold on to the ball. They cross.

Short and on leg, Alice Tector nudges it through mid-wicket for one.

WIDE! Flatter, short but down the leg side, Alice Tector fails to glance it away. Wided. Sri Lanka Women take a review for LBW. UltraEdge shows that it clipped the pads and not the bat. However, Ball Tracking shows that impact is outside leg.

FOUR! That will help! Floated, full and around off, Alice Tector uses her feet, stays leg side of the ball and reches out nicely to drive it through covers for a boundary.

Gaby Lewis is looking really tired out there but Ireland Women need to make the most of the last 3 overs to put up a fighting score on the board. Also, Sugandika Kumari is back on.

Tossed up, full and on off, Alice Tector works it towards long on for one more.

Quicker one, shortish and on middle, Alice Tector stabs it back to the bowler.

Floated, full and around off, Gaby Lewis swipes it to deep square leg for one.

Short and on middle and leg, Alice Tector tucks it through mid-wicket for another run.

Flatter, full and on off, Gaby Lewis bunts it out towards mid off for a quick run.

Floated, full and on off, Alice Tector drives it square to cover-point for a single.

Change? Yes, Nimasha Meepage to bowl out now.

On a length and around leg, Alice Tector clips it through square leg for one more. 100 up for Ireland Women!

Overpitched and on off, Gaby Lewis eases it to long off for one.

FOUR! Top shot Nilakshika Silva goes full again, angling into the pads. Lewis picks it up nicely and whips it towards the deep square leg fence for a one-bounce four.

Full and on middle, Gaby Lewis drills it back to the bowler.

WIDE! Pitched up and down the leg side again, Gaby Lewis fails to get it away. Wided again.

WIDE! Slower one, full but down the leg side, Gaby Lewis tries the paddle but misses. Kaushini Nuthyangana, the keeper, collects and breaks the stumps. She appeals for the stumping, but smart replays confirms that Lewis is inside her crease.

Fuller and on off, Alice Tector drives it towards wide mid off for a single.

Flatter, short and on off, Alice Tector looks to push it away but misses.

Fires this one, full and on middle and leg, Gaby Lewis uses her feet to flick it away but misses and gets hit on the pads as the ball rolls towards short third. A slight appeal for LBW, but turned down.

Drops it short and on leg, Alice Tector nudges it towards square leg for one. Gaby Lewis turns around for the second, but Kavisha Dilhari is quick to get to the ball. Tector sends her skipper back who has to put in a dive to make her ground.

Flighted, full and on middle, Gaby Lewis goes down for the sweep again but gets it from the inner half of the bat to short fine for a single.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR LEWIS! Back-to-back half-centuries for the Irish skipper and she is leading from the front here. This is short and outside off, Gaby Lewis cuts it away towards point where the fielder lets it thorugh her legs for a boundary.

Short and on middle, Gaby Lewis pats it to the right of the bowler, where Kavisha Dilhari quickly moves to that side to stop it.

Flatter, full and around leg, Gaby Lewis goes down for the sweep but gets a bottom edge as the ball goes nowhere.

DRINKS! Sri Lanka Women have managed to get a crucial breakthrough at the right time. The partnership was starting to hurt them a bit, but now they will want to build on this and pick up a few more to restrict the Irish to a low total. Gaby Lewis, the skipper, now has the responsibility on her shoulders to stay till the end and give the bowlers something to play with here. Also, Alice Tector walks out to bat.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! The bowling change has worked wonders for Sri Lanka Women here. Nilakshika Silva bowls a loopy delivery, full and outside off. Leah Paul shuffles across for the scoop, takes it on the full but cannot generate any power as it hits the toe-end. It lobs behind, where Kaushini Nuthyangana, the keeper, who is standing up to the stumps, does well to stretch her right glove to palm it down and then grab it on the second attempt. That breaks the 66-run stand and Ireland Women are 85/4 now.

Pulls her length back a bit, on off, Leah Paul pushes it to extra cover.

Very full and on middle, Gaby Lewis drills it down the pitch. Nilakshika Silva gets low on her follow-through to stop it well. Leah Paul is out of her crease and Silva flicks the ball but misses the stumps at the bowler's end. They cross.

Full again and on middle, shapes away, Gaby Lewis taps it to the off side.

Pitched up and on the pads, Gaby Lewis clips it away wide of deep square leg for a brace.

Fuller delivery, on off, Gaby Lewis drives it to extra cover.

Nilakshika Silva comes into the attack now.

Flatter, full and on middle and off, Leah Paul changes her stance early and reverse sweeps it over point. The fielder in the deep runs to her right and dives to make a fine stop. Two taken.

Well bowled! Slower through the air, full and on off, grips and turns away. Leah Paul gets squared up as the ball just goes past he outside edge.

Shortish and on off, Gaby Lewis stays back and pats it in front of short cover for another run.

Floated, full and on leg, Gaby Lewis flicks it through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run.

FOUR! Nice shot! Dragged back and down the leg side. Gaby Lewis stays inside the line of it and pulls it behind square on the leg side. The fielder in the deep runs to her right and dives but fails to reach it as the ball bounces over the fence for a boundary.

Tossed up, full and on middle, Leah Paul eases it to long on for a single.

Slows it up, full and on off, turns away, Gaby Lewis looks to push it away but gets beaten on the outside edge.

Goes short again and around leg, Leah Paul nudges it through backward square leg for one.

Flighted, full and on leg, Gaby Lewis tucks it through mid-wicket for another run.

FOUR! Fine shot! Sugandika Kumari drops it a bit short and on middle. Gaby Lewis picks up the length early, sits back in her crease and heaves it to the deep square leg fence for a boundary. That also brings up the 50-run stand between these two batters.

Flatter, full and around off, Leah Paul drags it towards long on for a run.

Floated, full and on leg, Gaby Lewis drills it to long on for a single.

Looped up, full and on off, Leah Paul gets down on a knee and swipes it wide of long on for a couple of runs.

Flighted, full and on off, Gaby Lewis uses her feet and drives it to long off for one.

The physio is in for the mandatory concussion check. She is asking a few questions but Lewis is all smiles and good to go again.

Tossed up, full and on off, turns in with bounce, Gaby Lewis gets down for the sweep but misses and takes a blow on her helmet.

Slows it up, shortish and on off, Leah Paul dabs it in front of point for another run.

Short again, on off, turns in, Gaby Lewis stays back and clips it through square leg for a run.

Floated, short and around off, Leah Paul plays it late and steers it o short third for a single.

Ireland Women are 58/3 at the halfway stage. They are slowly charging up. Sri Lanka Women will try to break this stand soon. Let's see how it goes. Chamari Athapaththu comes into the attack now.

FOUR! Nicely played! Full and on middle and leg, Gaby Lewis gets low and sweeps it elegantly through backward square leg for a boundary.

Tossed up, on leg, Leah Paul turns it to square leg for one more.

Nice and full, on off, Gaby Lewis taps it down to long on for a single.

Quicker, on leg, Leah Paul knocks it to mid on for a single.

FOUR! Top shot from Leah Paul! Full and outside off, Leah Paul changes her stance and plays a reverse sweep over backward point for a boundary. 50 up for Ireland Women.

Too full, on middle, Leah Paul digs it back to the bowler.

Flatter, on leg, Gaby Lewis helps it to fine leg for two more.

Much fuller, on leg, Gaby Lewis flicks it through backward square leg for a brace.

FOUR MORE! Back-to-back boundaries from the Ireland Women skipper! Short, outside off, Gaby Lewis latches onto it and cuts it through backward point for yet another boundary.

FOUR! A much-needed boundary for Ireland Women! Much fuller, outside off, Gaby Lewis reaches out to it and drives it magnificently through cover-point for a boundary.

Short, on off, Gaby Lewis punches it to cover.

Quicker, on leg, Leah Paul looks to sweep it but gets a top edge. The ball goes over the keeper's head for a single.

Ireland Women are 34/3 after 8 overs. Kavisha Dilhari continues...

Full, on off, Leah Paul knocks it to mid on for a single.

Short, outside off, Leah Paul looks to play a reverse sweep but misses.

Short, on off, Gaby Lewis knocks it to mid on for a single.

Flatter, on off, Gaby Lewis drives it to cover.

A mix up in the middle and Gaby Lewis is just safe! Full, on off, Gaby Lewis drives it to cover and sets off for a single. Leah Paul sends her back. The fielder throws it to the keeper. Gaby Lewis puts in a dive as the keeper whips the bails off. The dive saves Gaby Lewis.

Fired in, on off, Gaby Lewis blocks it to the left of the bowler.

Turn and bounce, outside off, Leah Paul has a waft at it but misses. Tidy over from Kavisha Dilhari.

Just short! Full, on off, Leah Paul chips it uppishly towards the cover fielder. The ball goes on the bounce.

Quicker, on leg, Gaby Lewis flicks it to short fine leg for a quick single.

Much fuller, on middle, Leah Paul plays a reverse sweep towards point for a single.

Short, on off, Leah Paul rocks back and blocks it solidly.

Nice and full, on off, Leah Paul pushes it back to the bowler.

DRINKS BREAK! Ireland Women are 30/3 at the end of Powerplay. Sri Lanka Women have done well so far, and they will try to keep things tight. They will continue their hunt for wickets and keep the pressure on. Ireland Women, on the other hand, need a gritty stand between these two batters. They cannot afford to lose any more wickets. Let's see how it pans out. Kavisha Dilhari comes into the attack now.

FOUR! A much-needed boundary for Ireland Women! Drops it short and on off, Gaby Lewis swivels and pulls it powerfully through square leg for a boundary.

Down the leg side, Gaby Lewis sweeps it to the fielder at short fine leg.

Nice and full, on off, Leah Paul flicks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Three runs! Full and outside off, Gaby Lewis drives it through covers. The fielder chases and flicks the ball in just before the fence. The batters collect three runs.

Flighted up, on off, Gaby Lewis pushes it to mid off.

Short, on middle, Gaby Lewis tucks it to mid-wicket.

5 overs done and Ireland Women are reeling at 22/3 now. Nimasha Meepage comes into the attack.

Terrific over! A yorker, outside off, Leah Paul digs it back to the bowler.

Fuller again, on off, Gaby Lewis pushes it to mid off. The fielder dives to her right and makes a good stop. Keeps it to a single.

Much fuller, on middle, Leah Paul digs it to mid-wicket for a single.

Too full, outside off, Leah Paul looks to play at it but misses.

Full and straight, Leah Paul blocks it back to the bowler.

Wide! Way outside off, Leah Paul leaves. Wide called.

Rebecca Stokell falls for 13. Leah Paul walks in next.

OUT! TAKEN! Another one bites the dust, and the third wicket falls for Ireland Women. Full and on leg, Rebecca Stokell moves to her leg side and tries to go over extra cover. She doesn't time it well and ends up chipping it straight in the hands of  Kavisha Dilhari at extra cover, who makes no mistake. Ireland Women are 19/3 now after 4.1 overs.

Ireland Women are 19/2 after 4 overs now. Mithali Ayodhya continues...

Slows it up, on leg, Rebecca Stokell rocks back and tucks it to mid-wicket for a single.

Flatter, on top of off, Rebecca Stokell cuts it to cover

FOUR! This is turning out to be a good over for Ireland Women! Flatter, on leg, Rebecca Stokell moves forward and drills it through the left of mid on for a boundary.

Beaten! Short, outside off, Rebecca Stokell looks to cut it but misses.

FOUR! Top shot from Rebecca Stokell! Tossed up, outside off, Rebecca Stokell steps out, gets to the pitch of the ball, and chips it over mid off for a boundary.

Quicker, on off, Rebecca Stokell pushes it to short cover.

Wide! Down the leg side, Rebecca Stokell looks to flick it but misses.

Down the leg side, Rebecca Stokell looks to flick it but the ball hits her pads and rolls to backward square leg. They collect a leg bye.

FOUR! That will ease some pressure! Much fuller, outside off, Rebecca Stokell leans on and drives it through the right of extra cover for a boundary.

Much fuller, on off, Rebecca Stokell drives it to the fielder at extra cover.

Beaten! Nice and full, outside off, Rebecca Stokell swings hard but misses.

Mithali Ayodhya gets away with this. Full toss, down leg, Gaby Lewis helps it to backward square leg for a single.

Too full, on off, Gaby Lewis blocks it to mid off.

On the stumps, fuller in length, Rebecca Stokell blocks it to mid off.

Early trouble for the Irish. Rebecca Stokell is the next batter.

OUT! STUMPED! Another one goes down and the pressure is on Ireland Women. Tossed up, on off, and it turns away. Orla Prendergast shimmies down the ground and goes for a big shot but doesn't read the line well. The ball turns away and goes to the keeper,  Kaushini Nuthyangana, who whips the bails off in a flash. Ireland Women are 3/2 now.

Tossed up, short and on off, Orla Prendergast cuts it to point.

Too full, on leg, Orla Prendergast digs it to the right of the bowler.

Flatter, on leg, Orla Prendergast blocks it back to the bowler.

Wide! Sways it down leg, Orla Prendergast looks to flick it but misses.

Full, down leg, Gaby Lewis looks to flick it but the ball brushes her padsa nd rolls fine. They collect a leg bye.

Excellent start from Sri Lanka Women. Sugandika Kumari to share the attack.

Nice and full, on off, Orla Prendergast eases it to mid off. Brilliant over from Mithali Ayodhya.

Full and on off, Orla Prendergast taps it to mid off.

OUT! HUNTER IS RUN OUT! A tad fuller, on leg, Gaby Lewis looks to flick it but the ball hits her pads and rolls to the leg side. They run for a risky single. Kaushini Nuthyangana, the keeper, moves forward, picks the ball and makes a direct hit on the turn at the batter's end. The umpire checks and confirms that Amy Hunter was short. A dive could have saved her here, but now she has to walk back into the shed. Orla Prendergast is the new batter.

Much fuller, on leg, Gaby Lewis blocks it back to the bowler.

Down the leg side, Amy Hunter looks to flick it but the ball hits her pads and rolls to the on side. They collect a leg bye. Ireland Women are underway.

Mithali Ayodhya starts with a dot. A yorker, on middle, with a hint of movement. Amy Hunter digs it to mid-wicket.

All in readiness now! The two umpires make their way out to the field. We can see the Sri Lanka Women players take the positions assigned to them. Amy Hunter and Gaby Lewis are the two openers for Ireland Women. Mithali Ayodhya has the new ball in her hand and is raring to go. Game on!

We are moments away from the start of the match, but before that, the players from both sides walk out to the middle and line up for their respective national anthems. It will be Ireland's first, followed by that of Sri Lanka.

Let's hear from the Irish camp now - Lara McBride says that they are confident coming here and they have their plans. She adds that they have played some good cricket and they are hopeful to get their first win in the World Cup. Lara says that she is happy to bowl to Chamari as she is a quality player and she ends by saying that they are a young side and they are still learning.

Time for a quick chat - Sri Lanka Women's Hasini Perera says that they did not have a great last game and need to bat well here. Adds that they have to bounce back in all three departments. Perera shares that while batting, her focus is to take one ball at a time. Ends by saying that they will have to handle the pressure well to win this game.

PITCH REPORT - Iam Smith is pitchside. He says that it is very hot out there. Adds that there is a breeze blowing but it is a warm one and the players will have to battle the heat. Mentions that the square boundaries are equidistant at 59 meters while the straight hit is 71 meters. Alan Wilkins joins him and says that the pitch has not changed much from the earlier game. Says that there will be good bounce on it, which Sri Lanka Women will know about as they found it tough to face Hayley Matthews in the game against West Indies. Ends by saying that the spinners will need to hit the right areas to extract that bounce.

Ireland Women (Unchanged Playing XI) - Amy Hunter (WK), Gaby Lewis (C), Orla Prendergast, Rebecca Stokell, Leah Paul, Alice Tector, Louise Little, Arlene Kelly, Aimee Maguire, Lara McBride, Cara Murray.

Sri Lanka Women (Unchanged Playing XI) - Chamari Athapaththu (C), Imesha Dulani, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Hansima Karunaratne, Kaushini Nuthyangana (WK), Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Meepage, Mithali Ayodhya.

The captain of Ireland Women - Gaby Lewis says that they are happy with the result of the toss and they will try to post a big total. She adds that they are chasing for their first victory and that they will give their best. Gaby mentions that it was good to be back opening, whether it worked out or not. Reckons the team is moving in the right direction. She ends by saying that they are going with the same side as well.

The captain of Sri Lanka Women - Chamari Athapaththu says that they will bowl first. She adds that the condition suits for the bowlers and if they bowl on the right lines and lengths, they can restrict Ireland to a low total. Chamari further says that every game for them is crucial as they lost the last game. They lost a couple of wickets early on and will need more partnerships. Ends by saying that they are going with same side.

TOSS - Sri Lanka Women have won the toss and elect to BOWL first.

Quick recap - In the previous game, Scotland Women put up a fighting 131/7, thanks largely to Darcey Carter's superb 72* off 52 balls. New Zealand Women were then rocked early at 26/3, but Izzy Sharp and Brooke Halliday weathered the storm with a match-winning 101-run stand. Sharp brought up a magnificent fifty as the White Ferns recovered brilliantly to keep their title defence alive, while the defeat ended Scotland's hopes and knocked them out of the World Cup.

A tactical battle awaits - The conditions look excellent for a great game of cricket in Bristol. The pitch should offer some good bounce for the fast bowlers early on before settling down into a fine batting surface. The tactical battle between the Sri Lankan spinners and the aggressive Irish top order will likely decide the outcome of this contest. Can the Lankans keep their semi final hopes alive with a clinical performance or will Ireland break their losing streak and crush Sri Lanka dreams. Do not go anywhere because the toss is coming up next.

Ireland looking to finish strongly - Ireland Women will look back at their narrow loss to New Zealand as a massive missed opportunity. Their biggest objective is to provide better support down the order. While Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast were spectacular with their half centuries, the rest of the batting unit completely collapsed in a tight finish. The Irish team needs their middle order batters to step up and handle the pressure in the death overs so they can turn those promising starts into actual victories.

Sri Lanka desperate to find extra runs - For Sri Lanka Women, the major learning from their previous match is that the batting lineup must show more resilience. Getting bundled out for under a hundred runs gives the bowlers absolutely no chance to defend the target. The middle order needs to form partnerships and protect their wickets instead of leaving everything to the top order. If the batters can post a competitive score on this Bristol track, their spin attack has the skill to apply heavy pressure and defend it successfully.

Live from Bristol for a crucial clash - Hello and welcome to the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol. A very warm welcome to cricket fans around the globe. We are in for a highly emotional and high stakes Group B match in the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu made headlines with some incredibly honest comments about her captaincy after their tough loss to West Indies. Her team is on the brink of an early exit and must win here to stay alive. On the other side, Ireland are playing for pride and would love nothing more than to play party spoilers.

... MATCH DAY ...

Hope against numbers - Focus will remain firmly in Bristol for the second game of the day, where Ireland Women take on Sri Lanka Women. Ireland are already out of the semi-final race, but Sri Lanka still have a faint flicker of hope to cling to. By the time this contest gets underway, the result of New Zealand versus Scotland will already be known. One of those sides will move into third place on four points, giving Sri Lanka a clearer picture of exactly how large a victory they would need to make a late charge. The problem is their net run rate of -1.913, making it a near-impossible equation, one that requires a huge win and plenty of prayers. Still, cricket has never been short of wild possibilities. So, Sri Lanka will want to keep every outside chance alive and remain in the conversation for a top-two finish. Relief and then reality - For a side that endured its worst-ever ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign in 2024 by losing every group-stage game, and then opening the 2026 edition with a heavy defeat, Sri Lanka's unlikely win over the defending champions New Zealand felt like a much-needed tonic. It was their first victory over the White Ferns in an ICC event, across both ODIs and T20Is, and for a moment, the sails were full, and the mood was buoyant in the camp. Then the West Indies arrived and took the wind out of those sails. That defeat has dragged Sri Lanka back into survival mode, where every remaining game carries the weight of an equation they cannot afford to get wrong. Sometimes, the scorecard lies - Sri Lanka's last defeat looks straightforward on paper - 98 all out, West Indies home by five wickets with 23 balls to spare. Job done, move along. But, it was not quite that simple. The batting was abysmal, no two ways about it, but the bowlers did their bit to keep Sri Lanka in the hunt. They created pressure, forced chances, and had the Windies looking a touch uneasy. Then came the giveaways - three dropped catches, a few missed run-out opportunities, and 23 extras, including 13 wides. In a low-scoring game, even the best lawyer would struggle to make a case for that kind of generosity. Time to share - Sharing is caring, isn't it? And if you care about Sri Lanka's women's cricket, you need to start searching for 'that someone' who can share the load of the Lankan batting. Their dependence on Chamari Athapaththu is well documented, but it is fair to ask whether she remains among the very best in world cricket right now. She has managed just 33 runs in three games at this World Cup, after scoring 45 in four matches in the previous edition. Also, since the last T20 World Cup, Chamari is Sri Lanka's leading run-scorer with 414 runs, which will surprise absolutely no one. But widen the lens to all teams participating in this tournament, and she does not even feature in the top 30. It is beginning to feel like a case of being the best performer in a room that needs a few more performers. Her legacy is beyond question. Athapaththu has been a giant of Sri Lankan cricket, but with time and age catching up, the baton must soon find another pair of hands. Alarm bells ringing - Sri Lanka's troubles with both bat and ball are written all over the numbers. Their batting average of 14.4 is the second worst in this edition of the tournament, ahead of only Pakistan's 11.7. With the ball, they have taken just 11 wickets at an economy rate of 8.1, again the second poorest record, behind only New Zealand, as of Match 18. To find themselves in the bottom half of a list featuring Netherlands, Ireland and Scotland is a position Sri Lanka will be desperate to escape. Their remaining league games now need to be treated like a fire drill. This is the same side that arrived at this World Cup on a five-match winning streak, so the form is in there somewhere. They just need to turn up, preferably before their chances diminish even further. The search continues - Ireland may be out of the semi-final race, but there is still plenty to play for. This is their fifth Women's T20 World Cup campaign, after appearances in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2023, but that elusive first win has remained stubbornly out of reach. 20 matches so far, 20 defeats, and this is one record they would dearly love to leave behind before flying back home. Ireland have two final rolls of the dice, against Sri Lanka here and West Indies later. On current form, Sri Lanka might look like the better bet, but Ireland have learned the hard way that this tournament rarely gives away anything for free. So near, yet so far...  In case you missed it, Ireland came within four runs of pulling off one of the shocks of this World Cup against defending champions New Zealand. For long stretches, they had the White Ferns on the mat - 48/4 with the ball, then 116/1 in the chase with a second-wicket century stand doing the heavy lifting. But closing out a big game is an art, and Ireland's lack of regular exposure to top-quality opposition showed at the decisive moments. They could not finish New Zealand's innings when they had them reeling, and later could not quite cross the line themselves. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but also a massive reminder of their potential. Sri Lanka and West Indies, who are next in line to face them, will know that these Irish girls are not here merely to make up the numbers. The mainstays! Gaby's bat swings sweetly, Orla's all-round game is gold - Can they give Ireland a story waiting to be told? For quite some time now, Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast have been Ireland's go-to players. Against New Zealand, they were right in the thick of it again. Orla made her mark with bat and ball, ensuring the defending champions felt the heat in both innings, while Gaby did what Gaby does best, kept the scoreboard moving. The numbers only add more weight to the argument. Since the 2024 T20 World Cup, Lewis is the second-highest run-scorer among players from teams in this edition, with 894 runs, behind only Smriti Mandhana. Prendergast and Amy Hunter also sit inside the top ten, so Ireland are hardly short of batting ammunition. If the bowlers can match that energy and keep their discipline, Ireland have enough firepower to turn this into a proper contest. TEAM FORM (last 5 completed WT20Is, latest first) - IRE-W - LLLWW | SL-W - LWLWW. Sri Lanka hold the edge, but... A small 'but', perhaps, but it's a 'but' worth keeping an eye on. Sri Lanka hold the upper hand in the WT20I head-to-head, of course, winning 4 of the 5 completed meetings against Ireland. Yet their last meeting tells a rather different tale. When they met in Dublin, Ireland had outplayed the Islanders to win by seven runs, with Gaby Lewis and Orla Prendergast once again leading the charge. Lewis lit up the game with a scintillating century, while Prendergast delivered a fine all-round show. Sri Lanka may own the overall record, but Ireland have shown they know exactly where to find the chink in the armour. The 2028 qualification - No, not about Los Angeles. But there will be a Women's T20 World Cup scheduled in that busy leap year too, hence we thought of taking a leap. While Sri Lanka have a slim chance of still qualifying for the current edition's semifinals, Ireland Women have a slim chance of making it to the next edition directly. As per the ICC norms, teams finishing in the top 8 of the current edition qualify directly for the next, with the remaining 4 needing to play the Qualifiers. Scotland, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Pakistan and Netherlands - are all in the same boat - but with the tournament scheduled to be held in Pakistan (as of now), they qualify directly any which ways. So the other four will aim to get that 8th / 9th spot, to make their own passage easier.