Sri Lanka ready to lock horns with South Africa in ICC Women's Championship

The historic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) will be the venue of the first two ODIs to be played on 15 and 17 October, before the final match of the ICC Women’s Championship is played at Nondescripts Cricket Ground, which will also stage the fourth and final ODI of the tour on 21 October.

The ICC Women’s Championship is a qualifying tournament for the ICC Women’s World Cup with the top four sides progressing to the 2017 event to be staged in England. The bottom four sides will get a final chance of qualification through the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in 2017.

The tournament structure will see each team will play each other in one home or away series that will include three ODIs over a two and a half year period. As such, each side is guaranteed at least 21 ODIs over the tournament period.

With the world’s top eight ranked sides participating in the tournament, three series of three ODIs each have been played in the first round, with Australia and West Indies sweeping side Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and England beating India by 2-0 with one match washed-out.

Wednesday’s ODI will mark the first time that fifth-ranked Sri Lanka will host sixth-ranked South Africa and in 11 meetings to date, South Africa leads Sri Lanka by 7-3, with one match in Potchefstroom being washed-out.

South Africa has been one of the most consistent sides since the ICC Women’s World Cup India 2013, having won eight out of 10 ODIs with one against Sri Lanka in Potchefstroom being washed-out. In contrast, Sri Lanka has won only one of its nine ODIs since finishing at an impressive fifth position in the ICC Women’s World Cup India 2013.

In the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings, none of the batters from either side feature inside the top 10, though Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp and Trisha Chetty are inside the top 20. Imalka Mendis is Sri Lanka’s highest-ranked batter in 27th position.

South Africa’s 10th placed Shibnam Ismail is the highest-ranked bowler in either squad. She will be aiming to climb the ladder and aiming to move ahead of Australia’s Erin Osborne whom she trails by 16 ratings points.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was excited with the concept of the event, when she said: “It’s a great opportunity for women cricketers to play regular One-Day Internationals with each match counting towards the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.

“From the Sri Lanka women’s cricketers’ point of view, it’s a great chance to play against the top countries and perform as a group. It will provide all of us the experience and exposure, which will help a long way in performing to high standards at the international level.”

South Africa captain Mignon du Preez, looking forward to the series against Sri Lanka, said: “I am extremely excited about the ICC Women’s Championship, as it will see the top eight sides in the world play each other in three One-Day Internationals leading up to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.

“I think it is a wonderful initiative from the ICC. It provides us players, with an opportunity to play a lot more cricket on a regular basis, especially those teams ranked outside the top four. It will surely give women's cricket more visibility.

“It is bound to create a platform for 'rising stars' within less known teams to shine and become role models, motivating young girls to take up cricket as a sport. The opportunity to play against some of the most experienced teams in the world is priceless. It can only help to improve the level of competitiveness all round and enhance the commercial value of women's cricket in the world."

Sri Lanka (from): Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Sanduni Abeywickrama, Ama Kanchana, Eshani Lokusuriya, Imalka Mendis, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodani, Inoka Ranaweera, Madhuri Samuddhika, Anushka Sanjeewani (wkt), Nilakshi Silva, Shashikala Siriwardane, Prasadini Weerakkody, Sripali Weerakkody

South Africa (from): Mignon Du Preez (captain), Berdnadine Bezuidenhout, Trisha Chetty (wkt), Moseline Daniels, Yolani Fourie, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Lizelle Lee, Marcia Letsoalo, Nadine Moodley, Andrie Steyn, Chloe Tryon, Dane Van Niekerk

Fixtures:

Sri Lanka v South Africa

15 Oct – First ODI, Colombo
17 Oct – Second ODI, Colombo
19 Oct – Third ODI, Colombo
*21 Oct – Fourth ODI, Colombo