Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka)
9 innings, 458 runs at 65.42, Strike Rate 101.10
9 wickets at 32.22 economy 4.61
The year that was
Athapaththu didn’t actually make her first ODI appearance of 2024 until April, but she immediately hit the ground running as she contributed scores of 51 and 195* in a 1-1 series result against South Africa away from home.
The 34-year-old continued with that rich vein of form into the three-match ODI series against the West Indies where she managed 130 runs and four wickets as Sri Lanka completed an emphatic 3-0 series sweep.
An innings of 48 and a three-wicket haul with the ball from Sri Lanka’s final ODI match of the year in Belfast saw Athapaththu end her 2024 on a high in ODI cricket.
Memorable performance
Athapaththu’s best performance ironically came in the same contest as Wolvaardt, with the Sri Lanka veteran scoring a superb 195 to lead her side to victory.
Chasing north of 300 in an ODI is never easy, but that’s exactly what Athapaththu and Sri Lanka made it look as they chased down South Africa’s score of 301/5 with more than five overs remaining.
The Sri Lanka skipper smashed 26 fours and five massive sixes during her 139-ball stay, trumping Wolvaardt’s effort that helped the island nation square the three-match series at 1-1.
