Sri Lanka won a historic women's bilateral T20I series against South Africa, coming from behind to win 2-1. Sugandika Kumari led the way with the ball, while Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama both scored quick half-centuries. In the decider on Wednesday, Sri Lanka won by four wickets.
Chasing 156 for victory, Sri Lanka lost Vishmi Gunaratne in the second over, but then had a 97-run partnership between Athapaththu and Samarawickrama, taking them to 102 and leaving them with just 54 runs to get from 7.2 overs.
Athapaththu was the main contributor to the score, hitting 73 off 46 balls, including seven fours and five sixes at East London's Buffalo Park, putting Sri Lanka in a strong position. Samarawickrama proved a valuable ally, scoring an unbeaten 54 off 43 balls to help Sri Lanka take the lead alongside Athapaththu, and despite a flurry of wickets towards the end, Samarawickrama completed the job with five balls to spare.
After winning the toss, South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt and Nadine de Klerk led the batting charge, with Anneke Bosch contributing a useful cameo.
Tazmin Brits played a supporting role, scoring just 7 in a 37-run partnership with Wolvaardt. Wolvaardt continued to dominate, forming small partnerships with Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus before adding 32 runs with Bosch in just under five overs. Bosch scored 27 runs off 21 balls, including three fours and a six off Athapaththu.
The Wolvaardt-de Klerk partnership, worth 54 runs in just under six overs, put South Africa in a strong position. Kumari, Sri Lanka's most successful bowler on the night, ended the partnership by dismissing Wolvaardt for a 47-ball 56. Wolvaardt, who scored her first T20I century in the series-opener, now has 11 half-centuries in the format.
Kumari took three wickets, including that of Eliz-mari Marx, adding to her earlier success of sending back Brits. Inoshi Priyadharshani (1 for 18) and Kavisha Dilhari (1 for 22) also performed well with the ball.
The Sri Lankan team's next match is a 50-over tour game against a South African XI on Saturday, before the start of the ODIs on April 9.