Sri Lanka Women pulled off a commanding five-wicket win over South Africa in the Women’s Tri-Nation ODI series in Colombo, chasing down 236 with ease in what turned out to be their fourth-highest successful ODI run chase. The emphatic performance was headlined by Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari, who stitched together a historic 128-run stand for the fourth wicke, the highest ever for Sri Lanka in women’s ODIs.
After South Africa posted 235 for 9, largely powered by Annerie Dercksen’s maiden ODI half-century (61*), Sri Lanka responded with composure and aggression, completing the chase in 46.3 overs at the R. Premadasa Stadium.
It was a shaky start for the hosts, losing skipper Chamari Athapaththu early in the third over. But Vishmi Gunaratne (22) and Hasini Perera (42) steadied the innings with a 69-run second-wicket partnership. However, it was the duo of Harshitha and Dilhari who took complete control, soaking up pressure and accelerating at the right moments to put the chase beyond doubt.
Harshitha’s 77 off 93 balls earned her the Player of the Match title, while Dilhari’s fluent 61 off 82, including a towering six over long-on, underscored Sri Lanka’s dominance. Their partnership not only rescued the innings but also broke the longstanding record for the fourth wicket, previously held by Athapaththu and Perera.
South Africa’s bowlers struggled to adapt to the slow Colombo pitch, and key fielding errors made their situation worse. Injuries also plagued their squad, with teenage wicketkeeper Karabo Meso forced off the field due to heat exhaustion just 14 overs into Sri Lanka’s innings. Later, all-rounder Sune Luus sustained a knee injury while bowling, which limited her participation.
Spin was the decisive weapon on this surface, and Sri Lanka wielded it with precision. Seventeen-year-old debutant Dewmi Vihanga impressed with figures of 3 for 41, becoming just the second Sri Lankan woman to take three wickets on ODI debut. Malki Madara, playing her second international match, claimed 4 for 50, including the prized wicket of Laura Wolvaardt, her first in ODIs.
Despite early setbacks, South Africa managed to rebuild with a 54-run third-wicket stand between Goodall (46) and Luus (31). But missed opportunities and poor shot selection cost them dearly. Their innings, once teetering at 120 for 5, briefly regained momentum thanks to Dercksen and Chloe Tryon’s 62-run stand. However, a stunning one-handed catch by Nilakshika Silva in the deep broke that rhythm and opened the floodgates.
Sri Lanka’s fielding was not flawless either, with multiple dropped catches, but their bowlers ensured those errors didn’t prove costly. Dercksen remained unbeaten but lacked the support to push the total beyond a par score.
Ultimately, South Africa’s 235 felt 30 runs short, especially after losing both group games to India and Sri Lanka. With two losses in as many matches, their position in the series now looks precarious.
For Sri Lanka, the win marked not only a return to form after a loss to India in their opening match but also a statement that this team, once inconsistent, is fast evolving into a fearless and well-rounded unit.
