Sri Lanka won the toss at the R. Premadasa Stadium and chose to bat first in the 15th match of the ICC Women’s World Cup. The decision came as New Zealand made a single change – Bree Illing replaced former bowler‑all‑rounder Lea Tahuhu in their XI.
In Sri Lanka’s lineup, two fresh faces appeared: Malki Madara and Piumi Badalge took the spots of Dewmi Vihanga and Udeshika Prabodhani. Captain Chamari Athapaththu said the team has struggled to chase in the last two games and that the pitch looks good for batting. “We’re playing our natural game, no need to add pressure, especially for the younger batters,” she added. “We’ve kept good form all year against the best, but this is a big stage.”
New Zealand skipper Sophie Devine welcomed the chance to bowl first, citing the strength of their attack after a win over Bangladesh. “The matchup with Bree against Chamari is a key one,” Devine said. “We’re excited to use Bree again and hope to keep the pressure on Odisha.”
Line‑ups
New Zealand – Sophie Devine (c), Suzie Bates, Eden Carson, Isabella Gaze (wk), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Georgia Plimmer, Bree Illing.
Sri Lanka – Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Madavi Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Piumi Badalge, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera.
Source: ianslive
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