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“We Have A Strong Balance…”: Athapaththu Exudes Confidence Ahead Of Women’s World Cup

Poulomi Chakraborty

Athapaththu Eyes World Cup Glory (Source: @kaustats/x.com)Athapaththu Eyes World Cup Glory (Source: @kaustats/x.com)

The Women’s World Cup is coming back to the cricket arena, and excitement is already touching the sky. Co-hosting with India, Sri Lanka’s women are gearing up to chase their maiden World Cup triumph, aiming to etch their name in cricket history.

Ahead of stepping into the tournament, Sri Lanka Women's captain Chamari Athapaththu set her sights high. In her ICC column, she expressed pride in leading the nation on this prestigious stage and confidence in her team’s immense talent.

Pride Of Leading The Nation On The Big Stage

As Women’s cricket witnessed a rapid growth in the cricket world, Sri Lanka Women’s meteoric rise has grabbed the attention. Starting from scratch, the team showcased domination, and Sri Lanka Women's skipper Chamari Athapaththu played a crucial role in the significant development. With the Women’s World Cup around the corner, Athapaththu and her spirited side face their biggest test yet.

Along with India, Sri Lanka got the prestigious opportunity to host the iconic tournament. Despite several achievements, the World Cup trophy is still a dream for them. Ahead of the tournament stars. Leading from the front, skipper Chamari Athapaththu embraces the challenge with pride, ready to guide her team on the sport’s grandest stage

“Playing at a World Cup isn't something you get to do every day, and it is an opportunity that we will not take for granted. It's a huge honour to captain my country at an ODI World Cup, and the fact that part of the tournament will be played at home in Sri Lanka makes it that much more special,” she said in her ICC column.

Confident In The Squad’s Strength

As the first edition of the Women’s World Cup was played in 1973, Sri Lanka Women needed to wait until 1997 to make their first mark on the big stage. After the first mark, there is no lookback for the game. Reflecting on their rise, skipper Chamari Athapaththu highlights how far the team has come

“Sri Lankan cricket has come a long way since the 1990s, and we have taken part in several World Cups since. In my own time, I can confidently say that we've grown so much as a team over the years. In 2013, we beat defending champions England as well as India, and that was by far the best achievement we had in a World Cup up to that point,” she said.

Ahead of starting their journey in the Women’s World Cup in 2025, the Sri Lankan skipper is well confident of their own squad. Backed by a blend of seasoned campaigners and fresh talent, she believes this could be the moment her team edges closer than ever to World Cup glory.

“We have a promising group of players such as Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Kavisha Dilhari, along with several other talented youngsters. Combined with the experience of our senior players, we have a strong balance of youth and maturity, and this year's World Cup is a real chance for us to shine,” she added.

As the marquee event is set to raise the curtain on September 30, Sri Lanka is all set to face India Women in the inaugural clash of the edition. As they step onto the grand stage, their eyes are firmly set on chasing a maiden World Cup crown.