Sri Lanka pulled off their highest successful chase in ICC Women's T20 World Cup history on Saturday, 27 June in Manchester, edging Scotland by three wickets with one ball to spare. Captain Chamari Athapaththu's explosive powerplay assault and Nilakshika Silva's unbeaten 21 in the death overs sealed a nervy 154 for 7 in 19.5 overs, keeping Sri Lanka's semi-final ambitions firmly in play.

Historic Win and Group B Standings

The victory marks Sri Lanka's first-ever three wins in a single Women's T20 World Cup tournament, lifting them to third place in Group B. England have already secured a semi-final berth, leaving Sri Lanka, West Indies, and New Zealand battling for the group's remaining qualification spot. Every run and wicket now carries extra weight as net run rate could yet prove decisive.

Scotland's Competitive Total

Put in to bat, Scotland endured a sluggish start but recovered to post 151 for 6 in 20 overs. Darcey Carter, the side's leading run-scorer in the competition, contributed a patient 36 off 34 balls to steady the innings through the opening spell. Sri Lanka's slower bowlers kept the brakes on — Scotland reached only 67 for 2 at the halfway stage.

The innings gained momentum through a 53-run fourth-wicket stand between Ailsa Lister and Sarah Bryce. Lister struck four boundaries in a brisk 26 before being run out by a direct throw from Nilakshika Silva. Scotland slipped from 138 for 4 to 146 for 6, but Sarah Bryce anchored the close with an excellent unbeaten 47 off 33 deliveries, including six boundaries and a well-timed cover drive. For Sri Lanka, Mithali Ayodhya claimed 2 for 34 and Kavisha Dilhari returned economical figures of 1 for 19 from her full four overs; two run-outs further checked Scotland's charge.

Athapaththu's Powerplay Blitz

Chasing 152 with an eye on net run rate, Sri Lanka attacked from the first ball. Chamari Athapaththu — fresh from a century in her previous innings — smashed six boundaries and a six off just 16 deliveries, propelling the powerplay score to 65, the highest powerplay total for Sri Lanka in this edition. Her dismissal — clean bowled by Katherine Fraser in the sixth over for 33 — handed Scotland a foothold.

Scotland Fight Back, Silva Holds Firm

Katherine Fraser and captain Kathryn Bryce, along with Rachel Slater, each picked up two wickets, reducing Sri Lanka to a precarious 118 for 6 after 15 overs. The match tightened further when Slater was forced off mid-over in the final stages with an injury, disrupting Scotland's bowling rhythm at a critical moment.

Nilakshika Silva kept her composure throughout, shepherding the lower order with an unbeaten 21. It was Sugandika Kumari who delivered the decisive blow — a winning boundary through short third to take Sri Lanka home by three wickets off 19.5 overs. This is the third time Sri Lanka have won a match in this tournament, a landmark in their Women's T20 World Cup journey.

What Comes Next

Sri Lanka's semi-final fate remains in their own hands but hinges on results involving West Indies and New Zealand as well as their own net run rate. The Group B race is set to go down to the wire, making every remaining match a virtual knockout for the sides still in contention.

Brief scores: Scotland 151/6 in 20 overs (Sarah Bryce 47*, Darcey Carter 34; Mithali Ayodhya 2-34) lost to Sri Lanka 154/7 in 19.5 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 33, Nilakshika Silva 21*; Katherine Fraser 2-25, Kathryn Bryce 2-28) by 3 wickets.