Chamari Athapaththu

She is known for aggressive batting in the top order. In the 2013 Women's Cricket World Cup, Atapattu hit a quick fifty against England women, where the Sri Lanka women won the match by one wicket.[4] Under her captaincy, Sri Lanka women won the T20I series against Pakistan Women.[5][6]

She is also the only Sri Lankan woman cricketer to score an ODI century, doing this five times in her career. She scored her maiden ODI century on 28 April 2011 against Ireland.[7][8] She holds the record for scoring the most number of ODI centuries and fifties for Sri Lanka in women's cricket history.[9][10] She also holds the record for the highest WODI score for Sri Lanka, with 178 not out.[11] She has the highest ODI average for Sri Lanka in women's cricket.[12] She is also the only Sri Lankan woman cricketer to score an ODI hundred as well as having scored most runs in an innings at a strike rate of over 100. She was the third woman cricketer in the world to be dismissed for 99 in an ODI innings.[13]

Atapattu bowling for Sri Lanka during the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

Atapattu's 178 not out is the highest Women's ODI score when batting at number three position for Sri Lanka.[14] Chamari Atapattu is the first and only Sri Lankan woman cricketer to score a century in Women's Cricket World Cup history[15][16]

Atapattu is the first Sri Lankan batswoman to pass 1,000 runs in T20Is and she is also the leading runscorer for Sri Lanka in both ODIs and T20Is.[17][18]

At 2016 ICC Women's T20 World Cup she scored her maiden T20Is half century against South Africa. During that match, South African's had a successful 50 run partnership for the first wicket. But Atapattu came in charge break the partnership from runout and she bowled Mignon du Preez for a four-ball duck in the same over. Finally, Sri Lanka won the match by 10 runs. For the all round performance Atapattu won player of the match award.[19][20][21] She was the leading run scorer for Sri Lanka with 141 runs in four matches.[22]

At the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, during Sri Lanka's match against Australia, she scored the third-highest individual total in a WODI and the second-highest total in a Women's World Cup match, with 178 not out.[23] She also scored the highest percentage of runs in a completed innings in a WODI (69.26%) and the most runs in boundaries in a WODI, with 124.[23][24] It was also the record for scoring the highest individual score in an innings of a WODI in a losing cause.[25] Even in a losing cause she won player of the match award for her performance.[26]

Scoring a half century against Australia during the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup

In October 2018, she was named as captain of Sri Lanka's squad for the 2018 ICC Women's World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.[27] Ahead of the tournament, she was named as one of the players to watch.[28] She was the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the tournament, with 59 runs in three matches.[29]

On 9 October 2019 third ODI match against Australia Atapattu scored her fifth ODI century.[30] On 29 September 2019, in the first WT20I match against Australia, Atapattu scored her first century in WT20I cricket. She scored 113 runs from 66 balls. Athapaththu went from 51 to 113 in merely 22 deliveries, as she hit 12 fours and six sixes at a strike rate of 171.21[31] during the innings against Australia but Sri Lanka lost the match.[32][33][34][2]

In January 2020, she was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.[35] During practice match against England Atapattu scored unbeaten 78 runs and took three wickets and Sri Lanka won the match.[36] In the first WT20 match against New Zealand She scored 41 runs and took one wicket but Sri Lanka lost the match.[37] Next match against Australia she scored her second T20I half century.[38] She was the leading run-scorer for Sri Lanka in the tournament, with 154 runs in four matches including one half century.[39][40]

In October 2021, she was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's team for the 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament in Zimbabwe.[41] In January 2022, Atapattu was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Cricket Qualifier tournament in Malaysia.[42] She performed consistently throughout Commonwealth Games Cricket Qualifier scoring 221 runs in four matches including two half centuries with average of 55.25 and strike rate of 185.71,[43] and also taking four wickets.[44] Due to her all round performance she won player of the series award.[45] Sri Lanka won all four games and secure the place at Commonwealth games 2022.[46] Following her performance at the Commonwealth Games Qualifier, she moved into the top 10 of the ICC Women's T20I batting rankings.[47]

In June 2022, third ODI against Pakistan, Athapattu scored her sixth ODI century, her first against Pakistan. She scored 101 runs from 85 balls, hitting 13 boundaries and one six. She put 152 run partnership with Harshitha Madavi for 3rd wicket. While bowling she took two wickets and one run out. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 93 runs. Athapattu won player of the match award for her performance.[48] Later the same month, in Sri Lanka's home series against India, Athapattu became the first batter for Sri Lanka to score 2,000 runs in WT20I cricket.[49]

In July 2022, she was named as the captain of Sri Lanka's team for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.[50]

On 10th February 2023, opener of T20 World cup 2023, Athapattu scored her 6th T20I half century against South Africa. She scored 68 runs from 50 balls hitting 12 boundaries. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 3 runs and Athapattu won player of the match award for her performance.[51]

On 27th of June 2023, first ODI match against New Zealand, Chamari scored her 7th ODI century, first century against New Zealand. She also reached 3000 ODI runs. She scored unbeaten 108 runs from 83 deliveries hitting ten boundaries and five sixes. While chasing down 170 runs, she put 159 run partnership for first wicket with Vishmi Gunarathna. This was their highest partnership for any wicket in Sri Lanka women team. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 9 wickets. This was their first ODI victory against New Zealand. Due to her match winning knock, Chamari won player of the match award.[52][53]

On 3rd July 2023, third ODI match against New Zealand, Chamari scored her 8th ODI century. In the process she moved up to joint-fourth on the list of most ODI hundreds in women's cricket.[54] While chasing down the target she reached to century by 60 balls. Fastest century in her carrier. Finally she scored unbeaten 140 runs and also put unbeaten 190 run partnership with Nilakshi De Silva. This was their highest partnership for any wicket in Sri Lanka women team surpassing previous record held on first ODI match. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 8 wickets and won the series. This was Sri Lanka's first bilateral ODI series victory. Due to her performance, Chamari won player of the match award and player of the series award. She was the highest run scorer in the series, scoring 248 runs in three matches including two centuries.[55] Following her performance against New Zealand, Chamari became No 1 ODI batsman in women's ODI rankings, becoming first Sri Lankan to do so.[56]

On 12th July 2023, 3rd T20I match against New Zealand, Chamari scored her 7th T20I half century. While chasing down the target of 140 runs, Chamari scored unbeaten 80 runs from 47 deliveries hitting 13 boundaries and two sixes. She also put unbeaten partnership of 143 runs with Harshitha Madhawi. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 10 wickets and due to excellent batting performance, Chamari won player of the match award.[57]

On 2nd September 2023, 2nd T20I match against England, Chamari scored her 8th T20I half century. While chasing down the target of 105, she scored 55 runs from 31 balls hitting 8 boundaries and two sixes. While bowling she took one wicket. Finally Sri Lanka won the match by 8 wickets. This is first win for Sri Lanka against England in T20I format. Due to her all round performance Chamari won player of the match award.[4]

Atapattu is the first Sri Lankan to play in the Women's BBL franchise.[3] She was signed by Melbourne Renegades for the third edition of the WBBL. In her 16 matches for Melbourne Renegades she has scored 196 runs with a high score of 42 and best bowling figures of 2–6. Before WBBL, her an unbeaten 178 against Australia in Bristol, helped her to become the first Sri Lankan woman to sign a contract with a franchise-based T20 league. She represented Yorkshire Diamonds and Loughborough Lightning in the second edition of the Kia Super League in England in 2017. Atapattu's stand-out season was in 2017 for Yorkshire Diamonds, when she made 135 runs in five matches.[2]

In August 2022, she was signed as an overseas player for Guyana Amazon Warriors for the inaugural edition of the Women's Caribbean Premier League.[70] She returned to Melbourne Renegades during the 2022–23 Women's Big Bash League season, as a replacement for Harmanpreet Kaur.[71]

• List of centuries in women's One Day International cricket
• List of centuries in women's Twenty20 International cricket

Media related to Chamari Atapattu at Wikimedia Commons

• Chamari Athapaththu at ESPNcricinfo