Sri Lanka’s Captain Athapaththu Plans for Future in Cricket

Sri Lanka‘s cricket captain, Athapaththu, has been making headlines recently as she hints at her intentions regarding retirement.

After a remarkable performance at the Asia Cup, where she played a crucial role in leading her team, Athapaththu shared her hopes to continue representing Sri Lanka until at least next year’s ODI World Cup.

The captain, now 34 years old, had previously indicated on social media that she might step back after a series in South Africa scheduled for April. However, she has since left her plans somewhat open-ended.

In a recent interview, Athapaththu expressed optimism about playing in the upcoming 50-over World Cup, which will take place in India—though exact dates have yet to be confirmed.

This means she will still be around for two major international tournaments: the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh set for October this year and the ODI World Cup next year.

Athapaththu showcased her skills during the Asia Cup, scoring 61 runs off just 43 balls in the final match. Her impressive performance helped Sri Lanka chase down 168 runs, and she finished the tournament as the top run-scorer, amassing a total of 304 runs across five innings at a striking 147 rate.

The runner-up for the top score in the tournament was India’s Shafali Verma, who managed to score 200 runs at a strike rate of 141, highlighting Athapaththu’s standout achievements throughout the event.