Image Source- PA Photos
Anushka Sanjeewani’s fast 32 and Inoshi
Priyadharshani’s career-best 4 for 10 stats enabled Sri Lanka defeat Thailand
by eight wickets and advance to the Asian Games semi-finals in Hangzhou.
Sri Lanka won the rain-shortened quarterfinal of 15
overs a side by cruising to victory in 10.5 overs while chasing 79.
The game had been postponed by nearly an hour and a
half due to rain and a muddy outfield. After the weather improved, Sri Lanka
decided to play its game in the cloudy sky.
Although Udeshika Prabodhani noticed some movement in
the air, Priyadharshani was responsible for four of the first five wickets to
fall, causing the most damage early on. Suwanan Khiaoto and Natthakan Chantham
were both out in her first over, the second of the innings. In her subsequent
over, she bowled a clever caught and bowled to dismiss Naruemol Chaiwai before
removing Nannapat Koncharoenkai.
When Thailand was 37 for 6, they were losing ground
quickly, but a 29-run partnership between Chanida Sutthiruang and Phannita Maya
temporarily halted the decline. Thailand was able to reach 78 for 7 in 15 overs
thanks in large part to Sutthiruang, who top-scored with an unbroken 31 and was
the only batter to reach double figures.
Sanjeewani and Chamari Athapaththu thereafter made
short work of the pursuit. In the sixth over, they reached their fifty-run
partnership until Thipatcha Putthawong dismissed Athapaththu after he top-edged
a slog sweep.
Sanjeewani was also removed by Putthawong, but the
harm had already been done. Thailand’s ground fielding didn’t help; they made a
lot of mistakes and missed opportunities. With a pull over deep square leg in
the eleventh over, Harshitha Samarawickrama ended the contest.