Chamari Athapaththu has spent more than a decade with Sri Lankan women's cricket on her shoulders. Then the veteran captain produced another epic performance on Tuesday in Bristol, notching up 106 from 61 balls and helping Sri Lanka to a nine-wicket win over Ireland in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. In the process she became the first person in history to earn a century in a successful run chase at a Women's T20 World Cup.
The 36-year-old left-hander was in complete control from the start of the game, chasing 131 for victory. A powerful innings saw Athapaththu score 17 boundaries and two sixes as she helped Sri Lanka to victory. Her innings was well above the previous highest score in a successful Women’s T20 World Cup chase by West Indies batsman Shemaine Campbelle who reached 90 at the tournament. The innings was also Athapaththu’s fourth century in T20 Internationals and her record as one of the most destructive batters in women’s cricket.
Born in 1990 in Kurunegala, Athapaththu made her international debut as a teenager and has since been Sri Lankan women's cricket's face.
As a left-handed batsman and all-rounder, she was one of the first Sri Lankan women to play franchise cricket around the world and she has represented teams in Australia, England, India and the Caribbean. Over the years she has won many international awards for her fearless cricket, inspirational leadership and various individual awards including ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year honors.
As it has been pointed out many times, Athapaththu has been in a position of great responsibility for her team in her career so far - the team has often been able to rely on her to achieve the best. She first picked up a cricket bat as a child after being inspired by Sri Lankan cricket legends and she is now surely the greatest female cricketer in her country. She has inspired young girls across Sri Lanka to pursue the sport too.
Sri Lanka’s World Cup campaign was very much at stake going into the Ireland match. As well as Athapaththu herself who had recently expressed her disappointment at the performance of the team. But when her side required a match-winning innings, the captain herself did again at the biggest stage.
Not only did Sri Lanka have hope for the future but she also had another golden chapter in her career that she had already produced in terms of milestones and records.
