Women’s T20 World Cup: The 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup got off to an explosive start with Sri Lanka making a strong statement by defeating the home team. However, during the opening match, the hosts gave it their all, with South African bowler Shabnim Ismail even showing her prowess with the bat.
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Umpire narrowly survives close call
In a thrilling moment, with just 13 runs required from 6 balls, Ismail stepped up to the plate and delivered a powerful straight drive. As the ball travelled past the umpire, Kim Cotton, who was stationed at the non-striker’s end, almost missed a close call. As the Sri Lankan bowler bowled a full ball outside off, Ismail sliced the drive and sent it flying for a boundary with a full-blooded swing.
The ball narrowly missed the umpire, causing her to quickly step back and stumble to the ground. Despite this momentary setback, Ismail continued to play with determination and fell to a brilliant run out in the very next over after scoring 7 runs off 4 balls.
Watch the viral Women’s T20 World Cup video here
The match saw the hosts win the toss and invite Sri Lanka to bat first. The Lankans put up a score of 129 in 20 overs, thanks to a 68 run performance by skipper Chamari Athapaththu in a 50-ball inning. The Lankan bowlers then held the home team to a score of 126/9, with Inoka Ranaweera taking 3 wickets and Sugandika Kumara and Oshadi Ranasinghe each grabbing 2. This impressive and disciplined bowling by the visitors helped them secure a 3 run victory in a closely contested match.
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