“When Chamari Athapaththu walks out to bat, better to switch on the TV.” This particular line has echoed in the mind ever since yours truly ended up watching the left-hand batter crunch a game-changing 72-ball 62 in the England-Sri Lanka encounter during the 2013 50-over World Cup. More than a decade after that momentous victory over one of the powerhouses of women’s cricket, Chamari was all geared up to lay the foundation for Sri Lanka’s maiden Asia Cup title. And up against Sri Lanka was one more formidable opponent, India, who in turn were the favourites to lift the title.
The experience of watching Chamari starts with her entry itself. There is an air of confidence in the way she walks out to the middle. At the non-striker’s end, after confidently adjusting her helmet, she patted her thighs a few times. Maybe, she was inadvertently telling herself – ‘C’mon, today, you have to perform.’
Chamari’s batting is defined by both willowy sound and power. How else can you explain her drive through extra-cover off Deepti Sharma? It was a combination of timing, strength and wristwork that helped her to drive through the line, despite not getting to the pitch of the ball.
Just a few minutes before she cracked that eye-catching stroke, there seemed to be a sudden crackle of sounds in the stadium. Chamari had reached yet another fifty. She bowed down to the crowd and her teammates. As Chamari signalled something to her teammates with her right-hand, there was thunderous applause from the dug-out. The eyes of her teammates told a story – The girls were inspired by the feats of Chamari.
Just think of Harshitha Samarawickrama. Ever since the 25-year-old made her Sri Lanka debut around eight years ago, she has been looked upon as a player with some potential. In the summit clash, she converted that potential into crucial runs, essaying an undefeated 51-ball 69. After Chamari’s wicket, one wondered whether it would trigger a collapse. But Harshitha, alongside Kavisha, another youngster, steered Sri Lanka home. That indicates the kind of influence Chamari has had on women’s cricket in Sri Lanka. There is no doubt that young girls in that Sri Lankan camp look up to her as a colossal figure.
In sharp contrast to the celebratory mood in the stands and the Sri Lankan camp, the Indian unit seemed shell-shocked after losing only their second Asia Cup final. Neither the bowling nor the fielding was of high standard. Just to illustrate the point, it is quite evident that Chamari pounces on anything that is slightly shorter in length. India’s spinners bowled enough of those dragged-down deliveries.
Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur dropped a sitter to give Harshitha a reprieve. There were a few misfields too. The captain herself fumbled a couple of times. Coaches have come and gone, but India’s fielding somehow continues to be quite sloppy. The T20 World Cup in Bangladesh is only a few months away and the onus is on the players to ramp up their fielding efforts.
While India’s players go on a soul-searching mission after a forgettable day in Dambulla, this victory would be written with indelible ink in the annals of Sri Lankan cricket. Who knows? Somewhere in the stands, enough girls too might have got motivated to take up the sport. In a nutshell, the kind of influence Chamari has had on Sri Lankan cricket defines her legacy.