Sri Lanka at Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Get to know the Chamari Athapaththu-led side

Sri Lanka faces an uphill task in Group B alongside England, New Zealand, West Indies, Ireland and Scotland. The island nation is yet to reach a Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal and endured a disappointing 2024 campaign without a single win. However, it enters the 2026 edition with renewed confidence after series victories over Bangladesh and West Indies. Having also beaten England in England and South Africa in recent years, Sri Lanka will believe it can challenge higher-ranked opponents. It opens its campaign against host England on June 12.

Here’s a look at Sri Lanka’s squad.

Chamari Athapaththu, 36, captain, left-hand batting all-rounder

Cricket is a team sport, but every so often a side’s fortunes become closely tied to the brilliance of one individual. For Sri Lanka, Chamari Athapaththu has been that player ever since her international debut in 2009.

A veteran of every Women’s T20 World Cup, Athapaththu has long been the heartbeat of the Sri Lankan side. She is the country’s leading run-scorer in both ODIs and T20Is and holds the record for the most international centuries by a Sri Lankan woman.

Overall, Athapaththu has amassed 3,752 T20I runs, including three centuries and 14 half-centuries. Since taking over as captain in 2014, she has led Sri Lanka to several memorable victories.

A globetrotting T20 specialist, Athapaththu became the first Sri Lankan woman to play franchise cricket overseas. Her success in the Women’s Big Bash League has been so significant that a seating section at the Sydney Cricket Ground was named ‘Chamari Bay’ in honour of her impact and popularity among the Sri Lankan community in Australia.

At 36, she is showing no signs of slowing down, having smashed a 58-ball 94 against Pakistan in a warm-up match ahead of the tournament.

Hasini Perera, 30, left-hand top order

Hasini Perera brings a wealth of experience and remains a vital cog at the top of Sri Lanka’s batting order.

Perera made her T20I debut at the 2014 Women’s T20 World Cup and has since scored 1,036 runs in 95 matches, including two half-centuries in the format.

The 30-year-old has enjoyed greater success and consistency since being promoted from the middle order to the top of the order in December last year, a move that has already yielded a career-best score of 65. While her strike rate can occasionally come under scrutiny, she provides much-needed stability to the Sri Lankan batting line-up when she settles in.

The 2026 edition will mark Perera’s fifth Women’s T20 World Cup appearance, having previously featured in 2014, 2018, 2020 and 2024.

Imesha Dulani, 24, right-hand batter

During the pre-tournament press conference, captain Chamari Athapaththu identified Imesha Dulani as one of Sri Lanka’s players to watch at the World Cup. Since making her international debut in 2023, Dulani has made a promising start to her career.

In 12 T20Is, the 24-year-old has scored 249 runs at an average of 31.12, including two half-centuries. Her recent form has been particularly encouraging, with three fifties in her last 10 innings.

The 2026 edition will mark Dulani’s maiden appearance at a Women’s T20 World Cup.

Vishmi Gunaratne, 20, right-handed batter

One of the youngest members of the squad, Vishmi Gunaratne is another player who has earned high praise from captain Chamari Athapaththu.

When she rose through the ranks of school cricket, she fascinated the cricketing world. She scored a whopping 417 off 128 balls, the first-ever quadruple century in Sri Lankan girls’ cricket. She once missed a tour of Pakistan because she was giving her O Level exams in 2022.

Gunaratne led the Sri Lankan U-19 team in its inaugural edition of the tournament in 2023 and emerged as the highest-run getter, scoring 134 runs at an impressive average of 44.66.

A knee injury in October 2025 kept her out of action for a while but she has returned and continued to pile on the runs since. A 63 not-out against Pakistan in the warm-up match on June 6 will have done her confidence a world of good.

Harshitha Samarawickrama, 27, left-hand top order batter

Harshitha Samarawickrama is the second highest run-scorer in T20Is for Sri Lanka and along with captain Chamari Athapaththu, will be entrusted to do the heavy lifting in the batting department.

Harshitha, who is the vice-captain, has scored 1700 runs in T20Is, including nine half-centuries. Her defining moment came in the 2024 Women’s T20 Asia Cup final, where she hit an unbeaten 69 in the final against India to guide her team to the trophy.

She made her international debut at the age of 17, having entered Sri Lanka’s domestic system when she was just 15. Her performances earned her a place in the squad for the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup. She later became the fastest Sri Lankan woman to reach 1,000 T20I runs.

Harshitha’s elegant cover drive has long been one of her signature strokes. Given her admiration for Kumar Sangakkara, its origins are hardly difficult to trace.

The 2026 edition will be Harshitha’s fifth appearance at a T20 World Cup.

Nilakshika Silva, 36, right-hand middle order batter

Nilakshika Silva brings experience and stability to Sri Lanka’s middle order. She is also someone who has learnt the value of patience the hard way. After making her ODI debut in 2015, she had to wait a decade before earning a place in Sri Lanka’s World Cup squad, eventually making the cut for the 2025 tournament.

Nilakshika has played over 114 T20Is, scoring over 1200 runs.

The 2026 tournament will be Nilakshika’s fourth appearance at the T20 World Cup, after 2018, 2020, and 2024.

Kavisha Dilhari, 25, right-arm spin bowling all-rounder

Sri Lanka’s finest spinners include names like Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, and Ajantha Mendis. In the women’s vertical, after Inoka Ranaweera and Shashikala Siriwardene, Kavisha Dilhari could just be next in line.

Dilhari, who hails from the same village as Lasith Malinga, made her T20 World Cup debut in 2018 when she was just 18-years-old. She has since become Sri Lanka’s frontline spinner, especially after Ranaweera and Samarawickrama hung up their boots.

Her quick thinking and confidence prompted Athapaththu to personally vouch for her inclusion in the 2020 T20 World Cup squad.

The 25-year-old has a knack of providing breakthroughs at crucial stages and also has the ability to hit the ball a long way. In 80 T20Is, Dilhari has picked up 66 wickets at an outstanding average of 21.75, and a miserly economy rate of 6.45.

Hansima Karunaratne, 32, right-handed batter

Hansima made her debut for Sri Lanka in 2016 and adds depth to the Sri Lankan batting unit. In 19 T20Is, the 32-year-old has scored 169 runs.

Hansima has represented Sri Lanka in T20 World Cups once in the past, in the 2020 edition, incidentally against India.

Kaushini Nuthyangana, 23, wicket-keeper, right-handed batter

Kaushini Nuthyanga assumed the role of Sri Lanka’s first-choice wicketkeeper after regular glovewoman Anushka Sanjeewani was dropped following the 2024 Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Since then, she has established herself as the team’s preferred option behind the stumps.

In 13 T20Is, the 23-year-old has claimed two catches and effected three stumpings, while continuing to grow into the role at the international level.

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will mark Nuthyanga’s second appearance at the tournament, having been part of the squad as a reserve wicketkeeper in 2024.

Sugandika Dasanayaka, 34, slow-left arm orthodox bowler

As a left-arm orthodox spinner, Sugandika Kumari adds valuable variety to Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.

A mainstay of the side since 2015, Sugandika has claimed 70 wickets in 94 T20Is and remains one of the team’s most experienced spin-bowling options.

Her Women’s T20 World Cup record is equally impressive. The 34-year-old has taken 11 wickets in 17 matches at an economy rate of 6.83, with best figures of 3/19.

Alongside Kavisha Dilhari, Sri Lanka will rely on Sugandika to choke the flow of runs through the middle overs and provide crucial breakthroughs. The 2026 edition will be her fourth Women’s T20 World Cup, having previously featured in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

Nimasha Madushani, 26, slow left-arm orthodox bowler

Nimasha Madushani will serve as the like-to-like backup for Sugandika Dasanayaka.

Madushani has played only four T20Is and has taken three wickets.

The coming edition will mark the 26-year-old’s first appearance at a T20 World Cup.

Kawya Kavindi, 23, right-arm medium pacer

Another young face in the squad, Kawya Kavindi is still very much in the early days of her cricketing career.

Before her debut, she spent several years in the reserves, patiently waiting for her opportunity to make the eleven. She made her T20I debut in 2023 and has taken 12 wickets from 14 matches at an average of 22.00 and economy rate of 7.00.

Kawya will be making her first appearance at a T20 World Cup in the 2026 edition.

Having picked a relatively inexperienced pace bowling attack, the 23-year-old is expected to play the role of one of the frontline fast bowlers.

Malki Madara, 25, right-arm medium pacer

Another player who is just starting out, Malki Madara made her T20I debut in 2025 and has picked up 11 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 21.90 and economy rate of 6.57.

Malki, like her partner in the pace bowling department Kavya Kawindi, will also be making her T20 World Cup debut in the 2026 edition.

Lauded for her pace in the domestic and U-19 level, the bowler from the south of Sri Lanka has come through the Air Force Sports Club.

Mithali Ayodhya, 19, right-arm medium pacer

At 19, Mithali Ayodhya is one of the youngest players in the tournament. Her T20I career has spanned only three matches so far in which has taken three wickets, at an average of 30.66 and an economy of 10.22.

As things stand, it remains unlikely that Mithali will get too many opportunities to be part of the playing XI, but with that being said, she is a handy backup to have in the pace bowling unit nonetheless.

Chethana Vimukthi, 24, right-arm medium pace bowler

Chethana Vimukthi, who was initially not part of the squad, came in as a replacement for Shashin Gimhani, who was forced to withdraw from the tournament after sustaining a lower-back injury during training.

Born and raised in Badulla, her foundations were laid in the school system before she made her way to the Sri Lanka Navy Sports Club and Panadura Sportts Club.

Vimukthi is yet to play a T20I game for Sri Lanka and has played only three matches in ODIs.

Published on Jun 11, 2026