Scotland’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifying campaign ended in defeat, as they slipped to a 68 run defeat to their fellow qualifiers Sri Lanka.
A stunning innings of 102 from Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu took the game away from Scotland, as her side posted 169-5.
A flurry of early wickets ended Scotland’s hopes of chasing that total down, Priyanaz Chatterji top-scoring with 30 as Scotland posted 101-7 in response.
Scotland, captained by Sarah Bryce in the absence of the injured Kathryn Bryce, won the toss for the first time all tournament, and put their opponents into bat.
Vishmi Gunaratne would start the Sri Lankan innings in style as she carved the first delivery of the game, from Priyanaz Chatterji, away for four through cover.
Chamari Athapaththu, who struck an unbeaten 50 in the side’s first meeting, suffered a scratchy start as she played and missed on numerous occasions against Rachel Slater, before breaking the shackles as she flailed one over point for four.
Chatterji would then make the breakthrough, Gunaratne (9) flashing at one outside off stump, with Sarah Bryce taking a terrific catch standing up.
Harshitha Madavi (8) and Athapaththu advanced the score to 33 in the final over of the powerplay before the former came unstuck, trapped LBW attempting to sweep by Katherine Fraser.
Kavisha Dilhari started brightly, striking a couple of boundaries, but she would be the third Sri Lankan wicket to fall, with the score on 55, stumped off the bowling of Abtaha Maqsood.
Athapaththu then began to find her range, taking three consecutive fours from Hannah Rainey, before in the following over striking 10 in two balls against Chloe Abel, including a ridiculous flick over the leg-side for six.
The Sri Lankan skipper would reach her half-century from 40 deliveries, hoisting Katherine Fraser high over mid-wicket for six.
It would take Athapaththu just 20 deliveries to go from 50 to 100, crashing the ball all around the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in a scintillating display of ball-striking – although she did receive a slice of luck when on 77, playing onto her stumps, only for the bails to remain unmoved.
She would finally depart for a stunning 102 in the final over, picking out Darcey Carter on the deep mid-wicket boundary off Slater.
Just like in the previous game, Slater struck in consecutive balls, bowling Hasini Perera first ball.
Nilakshi De Silva (26*) would strike the penultimate ball of the innings for six, as Sri Lanka posted an imposing total of 169-5.
Scotland’s reply started brightly as Megan McColl and Saskia Horley found the boundary, McColl sweeping Sugandika Kumari for four, before Horley drilled Achini Kulasuriya down the ground.
Disaster then struck as Horley (10) was run out, pushing the ball to de Silva at mid-off, who made no mistake as she threw down the stumps at the bowler’s end.
Udeshika Prabodhani then struck twice in three balls to remove Megan McColl (6), trapped LBW, and Sarah Bryce (0), bowled, to leave Scotland in trouble at 17-3.
Darcey Carter, in the game as a concussion substitute for Ailsa Lister, would be the next to depart, edging Kumari behind to Anushka Sanjeewani to depart for 3.
Priyanaz Chatterji and Lorna Jack looked to rebuild the Scotland innings, and Chatterji took Prabodhani for two fours in the same over.
Chatterji then hoisted a huge six over mid-wicket from the bowling of Dilhari, and her and Jack had recovered from 23-4 after six to 63-4 in the 13th over.
However, Chatterji would then depart for an excellent 30, bowled by Inoshi Priyadharshani.
Jack would depart soon after for 12, trapped in front looking to turn Prabodhani to leg.
Dilhari picked up her first of the evening, as she had Katherine Fraser caught at the wicket attempting to cut, as Scotland slipped to 75-7.
A late flurry from Rachel Slater (15*) and Chloe Abel (11*) guided Scotland to 101-7, 68 short of Sri Lanka’s total.
