'I'm still alive' – Legendary Sri Lanka all-rounder smashes 106* out of 131 in record-breaking T20 World Cup chase

In a blistering display against Ireland in Bristol, Athapaththu hammered 106* off 61 balls as Sri Lanka chased down 131 in 15.2 overs. Her innings accounted for 79.1 per cent of her team's total runs – an all-time record for the highest percentage of runs in a completed Women's T20I innings of more than 100 runs. Her innings included 18 fours and two sixes, and was the first century scored in a Women's T20 World Cup chase.

It's not the first time Athapaththu has played an innings of that standing in an ICC tournament in England, or indeed in Bristol. In the 2017 50-over World Cup, she smashed 178* against Australia at the same venue. That innings is still the second-highest score ever made in a Women's World Cup, only second to Belinda Clarke's 229* against Denmark in 1997.

While the innings is Athapaththu's fourth T20I hundred, it's her first in almost two years. In 2024, she scored two centuries – one against Scotland in the T20 World Cup Qualifier, and one against Malaysia in the Asia Cup – having previously hit 113 off 66 balls against Australia in 2019. She is now clear at the top of the list for the most centuries scored in Women's T20Is by full member players, having previously been level with Hayley Matthews, Laura Wolvaardt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge on three apiece.

Chamari Athapaththu: 'I'm still alive'

Before their game against Ireland, Sri Lanka suffered a defeat to the West Indies, which dented their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals. Athapaththu was out for two before Sri Lanka collapsed to 98 all out. Following the loss, Athapaththu had said: "It's a sadness beyond words. I think I [have] played around 18 years for the national team, and I could never get a chance to take my team into a semi-final of a World Cup.

"Even though I have achieved many things personally, I think I'm a failure as a captain, because I think that's a big pain for a player. Actually, now I have to be with that pain."

Following her innings against Ireland, she said: "In the last 18 months I haven't scored a hundred, so a lot of bad comments came to me. I love those comments because otherwise I won't improve. Sometimes, healthy criticism is really good for a cricketer. That's why I played a good game today, and I showed my jersey and my name because I said to the others, 'I'm still alive.'"

Full list: Most centuries scored by full member players in Women's T20Is

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