Sri Lanka's captain Chamari Athapaththu is optimistic about an Asian team winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025, a feat yet to be achieved by any Asian nation.
Historically, only Australia, England, and New Zealand have claimed the title. India has twice reached the finals but fell short against Australia and England.
As Sri Lanka returns to the Women's World Cup after eight years, Athapaththu expressed her desire for an Asian victory. "As an Asian, I would love to see an Asian team win this trophy -- maybe Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh. Playing in Asia feels special for us. It's a privilege to play on home soil, and I hope an Asian team lifts the trophy this year," she stated before their opening match against India.
Home Advantage and Tournament Goals
Co-hosting
the tournament for the first time, Sri Lanka aims to reach the semifinals with five league matches at home. Athapaththu highlighted the advantage of playing in familiar subcontinental conditions similar to India's. However, she cautioned against overthinking it. "If we can make the semifinals, that will be a really good achievement for us. Then we can take it from there," she added.
Athapaththu acknowledged India's strength in these conditions, noting their recent form. "We've been playing really good cricket in the last 12 months. India are favourites; they know the conditions well. We just want to play our best cricket without putting too much pressure on our shoulders," she remarked.
Preparation and Team Dynamics
Sri Lanka's preparation included finishing as runners-up in a home tri-nation series earlier this year and winning the Asia Cup T20 last year. Despite not playing international cricket since then, Athapaththu is confident due to a strong domestic season. "In the tri-series, we beat South Africa but lost the final to India. Overall, we played really good cricket," she said.
With five out of seven league games at Colombo's R Premadasa Stadium, Sri Lanka hopes to leverage home advantage. Athapaththu emphasised the importance of performing well as a team despite favourable conditions. "We have five games on our home soil, and we know the conditions better than anyone. But still, we have to play our best cricket," she cautioned.
Facing Familiar Foes
Athapaththu has experience from two seasons of the Women's Premier League and is familiar with Indian players' skills. She noted that both teams will face pressure in their opener but believes India's experienced bowling line-up poses a challenge. "On a particular day, whoever absorbs the challenge better will come out on top," she commented.
Sri Lanka finished fifth in the ICC Women's Championship but Athapaththu is hopeful that a mix of youth and experience along with home support will make a difference this time. "It's not just about me anymore. We've got youngsters who know how to handle pressure," she said.
With inputs from PTI
