Who: India vs Sri Lanka
What: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Group A match
When: Wednesday, October 9, 6pm (14:00 GMT)
Where: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
How to follow: media’s live text coverage begins at 11:00 GMT
Sri Lanka’s talismanic captain Chamari Athapaththu believes her team have nothing to lose when they face India in their third group stage match at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Wednesday.
Athapaththu’s side have lost both their matches, against Pakistan and Australia, and are all but out of contention for the semifinals with two games to go.
A win over India will keep them mathematically alive in the tournament but a loss will seal their fate.
“We have to get things done [tomorrow],” Athapaththu said in her pre-match news conference on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old all-rounder took the blame for Sri Lanka’s poor results and said it was her responsibility to lead from the front.
“I couldn’t give the team the momentum [as an opening batter] in past two matches and my failure has a huge effect on the team,” she said.
The pitches and conditions in the UAE have produced low-scoring matches in the shortest format of cricket. Athapaththu said while the tracks were challenging, it was down to her team to take on the challenge like other top players have done so far.
Sri Lanka have the advantage of beating India in their latest encounter in July, when Athapaththu led her team to a historic win in the final of the Asia Cup at home.