Sri Lanka women’s captain confident ahead of World Cup

(From left) Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa) and Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh) Picture by Kushan Pathiraja

By M. Shamil Amit

Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu was optimistic at the Captain’s Day press conference held at Colombo, saying they will be looking forward to giving their best at the forthcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup scheduled to be played in India and Sri Lanka from September 30. 

Joining Athapaththu were three other captains; Nigar Sultan of Bangladesh, Laura Wolvaardt of South Africa and Fatima Sana of Pakistan.

“We are playing on our own soil, and I know many Sri Lankans will be there to support us. We need that energy and encouragement just like we experienced during the Asia Cup. Our intention and main aim is to enjoy and play our natural game with confidence without putting any pressure on ourselves,” said Athapaththu.

Bangladesh skipper Sultana said, “Earlier we were inexperienced and unfamiliar with winning on the big stage. However, recently we have played a lot of cricket both at home and abroad, and we have gained the much-needed confidence. This is a great opportunity for the whole team.” Pakistan skipper Sana said, “We have a significant advantage here in Colombo, and we know that we will be playing all our matches at the same venue. I believe the conditions in Sri Lanka are similar to Pakistan. This familiarity could do us good, and we look forward to finishing in the top four.”

South Africa skipper Wolvaardt stated, “I think a tournament of this nature is big for every team, and in these conditions it’s not going to be easy for any team. So I think our strategy for the tournament will really be to take it one game at a time and not think about big names.”

The World Cup this time out carries a record total prize money of 13.88 million US dollars, more than that of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, with the winners’ purse worth 4.48 million dollars.