ICC Women's WC: Nilakshi's historic fifty powers SL to 258/6 against NZ

Colombo [Sri Lanka], October 14 (ANI): Sri Lanka batter Nilakshi de Silva slammed the fastest fifty by a player from her team in Women's ODIs during the ICC Women's World Cup clash against New Zealand at Colombo on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka marched to 258/6 in their 50 overs against New Zealand, with Nilakshi and skipper Chamari Athapaththu contributing useful half-centuries. Silva's fifty came in 26 balls, as she broke her own record of reaching the milestone in 28 balls against India earlier this year.

SL won the toss and opted to bat first. Skipper Athapaththu had a fine start with the opener Vishmi Gunaratne (42 in 83 balls, with three fours), stitching a 101-run opening stand and bringing only the third century partnership for Lanka in women's WC. The duo also completed 858 runs as a partnership duo for Sri Lanka in ODIs, the most by a pair for any wicket, within just 21 innings, outdoing Dedunu de Silva and Chamari Polgampola (857 runs in 31 innings).

After Rosemary Mair (1/29) and skipper Sophie Devine (3/54) removed the openers to leave SL at 125/2, it was Hasini Perera (44 in 61 balls, with six fours) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (26 in 31 balls, with two fours) who stitched a third-wicket 58-run stand.

However, Bree Illing (2/39) and Devine triggered a mini-collapse, leaving SL struggling at 198/5 in 42.4 overs.

Nilakshi (55* in 28 balls, with seven fours and a six) and Anushka Sanjeewani (6*) took SL to 258/6, their second-highest total in the World Cup after 282/5 against India at Brabourne in the 2013 edition.

Sri Lanka, which has not won a game yet and sits in the second-to-last spot with two losses and no result, will aim to secure its first win. (ANI)

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