Calm Harshitha takes Sri Lanka to Asia Cup semis

Sri Lanka's women cricket team, known for their resilience, have advanced to the Asia Cup semi-finals, showcasing their potential as a formidable contender for the World Cup. Their male team, however, has often struggled to compete on the global stage in recent years. Defending champions Sri Lanka entered the tournament unbeaten, topping their group with three straight wins. They will face either Pakistan or Thailand in the semi-finals, avoiding a clash with India.

The team's captain, Chamari Athapaththu, has long been a pillar of the side, but recent years have seen a rise in other players stepping up when she falls cheaply. This has given Chamari more freedom to play her attacking style of cricket. Nilakshika de Silva, in particular, has been a standout performer, leading a dramatic recovery against Indonesia by scoring a crucial half-century.

On Sunday, in a crucial group match against Bangladesh, Harshitha Samarawickrama stepped into the captaincy when Chamari was dismissed early. Facing a difficult situation at 44 for five, Harshitha and her vice-captain, Nilakshika, worked together to salvage the innings. After Marufa Akter took two early wickets, Harshitha and Nilakshika formed a strong partnership, adding 38 runs for the sixth wicket to stabilize the innings.

With one over of Marufa's quota remaining, Marufa dismissed Nilakshika, but Harshitha steadied the ship, backing up Kaushini Nuthyangana at the wicket and guiding Sri Lanka to a successful chase. Harshitha scored an unbeaten 38 off 47 balls, including four fours and two sixes, cementing her importance to the team.

While Sri Lanka's victory is a testament to their current form, the team is aware they need to address their batting collapses to maintain consistency as they face tougher opponents in future tournaments. Sri Lanka will play their second semi-final match on Friday, with the final scheduled for Sunday.