Womens T20 World Cup Warm Up Matches Athapaththu Stars On Day One

Womens T20 World Cup Warm Up Matches Athapaththu Stars As Sri Lanka New Zealand And South Africa Register Wins

The build-up to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 gathered momentum on Saturday as several top teams showcased their strengths during the opening day of the warm-up matches. Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and Scotland all emerged victorious, with star players delivering impressive performances ahead of the global tournament.

Short Scorecard Summary

Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by 9 wickets

• Pakistan 168/8

• Sri Lanka 169/1

• Chamari Athapaththu 94

South Africa beat Ireland by 15 runs

• South Africa 135/8

• Ireland 120 all out

• Marizanne Kapp 4/24

New Zealand beat Bangladesh by 68 runs

• New Zealand 193/3

• Bangladesh 125/8

• Amelia Kerr 51 not out

Scotland beat Netherlands by 58 runs

• Scotland 163/5

• Netherlands 105 all out

• Katherine Fraser 3/21

The standout performance of the day came from Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, who narrowly missed out on a century while guiding her side to a dominant nine-wicket victory over Pakistan at Derby.

Athapaththu Leads Sri Lanka Charge

After Pakistan posted a competitive 168/8 in 20 overs, Sri Lanka produced a batting masterclass during the chase. Pakistan's innings was built around useful contributions from Muneeba Ali (36) and captain Fatima Sana (37), while Chethana Vimukthi starred with the ball for Sri Lanka, claiming four wickets.

In reply, Athapaththu looked in sublime touch from the start. The explosive left-hander smashed 94 runs from just 58 deliveries, striking nine boundaries and five sixes. She received excellent support from Vishmi Gunarathne, who remained unbeaten on 63, as Sri Lanka chased down the target comfortably with nine balls to spare.

South Africa Overcome Ireland Challenge

South Africa secured a hard-fought 15-run victory against Ireland in a rain-affected 18-overs-per-side contest at Loughborough.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt led from the front with an entertaining 66 off 39 balls, helping South Africa post 135/8. Despite a late batting collapse, the Proteas had enough runs on the board.

Ireland fought bravely during the chase, with Leah Paul scoring 29. However, experienced all-rounder Marizanne Kapp proved the difference-maker, finishing with outstanding figures of 4/24. Ireland were eventually bowled out for 120, handing South Africa a confidence-boosting win before the main tournament.

Amelia Kerr Guides New Zealand To Big Win

New Zealand continued their strong preparations with a comprehensive 68-run victory over Bangladesh.

Captain Amelia Kerr remained unbeaten on 51 from just 28 balls, while Suzie Bates (45) and Izzy Sharp (46) made valuable contributions to power the White Ferns to 193/3.

Bangladesh never seriously threatened the target despite Nigar Sultana's unbeaten 32. Young spinner Nensi Patel stole the spotlight with a brilliant spell of 4/18, helping bowl Bangladesh out of contention and securing a dominant victory.

Scotland Impress Against Netherlands

Scotland rounded off an excellent day with a convincing 58-run victory over the Netherlands.

After posting 163/5, thanks to useful contributions from Darcey Carter and Priyanaz Chatterji, Scotland's bowlers took complete control. Katherine Fraser claimed 3/21, while teenage sensation Gabriella Fontenla grabbed two early wickets to derail the Dutch chase.

The Netherlands were eventually restricted to 105, giving Scotland a comfortable win.

The opening day of the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up matches offered plenty of excitement, with several title contenders already showing signs of strong form ahead of the tournament.