• South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka in the first Women's T20I by 79 runs.

  • Laura Wolvaardt won the Player of the Match for her outstanding century.

Twitter reactions: Laura Wolvaardt’s sizzling ton steers South Africa to emphatic win over Sri Lanka in 1st Women’s T20I
South Africa beat Sri Lanka in the first WT20I

In the opening T20I of the Sri Lanka Women’s tour of South Africa 2024, the home team put on a dominant display at Willowmoore Park. The Proteas Women were all over the Islanders as they registered a victory by 79 runs.

Laura Wolvaardt gains attention with a stunning century

Winning the toss, Sri Lanka Women elected to bowl first, aiming to restrict the hosts’ batting lineup. However, South Africa Women’s innings started with a bang as their top-order batswomen displayed remarkable prowess with the bat.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt starred with an exceptional century, scoring 102 runs off just 63 deliveries, including 12 fours and 3 sixes, laying a solid foundation for her team. She was well-supported by the veteran all-rounder Marizanne Kapp, who contributed a blazing 60 off 40 balls, and Tazmin Brits, who added a quickfire 15 off 8 balls. The South African innings culminated at an imposing total of 198/5 in their allotted 20 overs.

Disciplined bowling keep Sri Lanka batters at bay

In response, Sri Lanka Women faced a daunting chase. Despite efforts from Harshitha Samarawickrama, who scored 38 off 33 balls, and Hasini Perera, who contributed 30 off 18 balls, the visiting team struggled to keep up with the required run rate.

The South African bowlers put up a disciplined performance, with Tumi Sekhukhune and Annerie Dercksen leading the attack, claiming two wickets each. Sri Lanka Women were eventually bundled out for 119 runs in 18.2 overs, falling short by 79 runs.

For her outstanding century, Wolvaardt was deservedly awarded the Player of the Match. With this commanding victory, South Africa Women have taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series, setting the stage for an exciting contest in the matches to come.

Also READ: South Africa vs Sri Lanka 2024, Women’s T20I series – Date, Match, Time, Venue, Squads, Broadcast and Live Streaming details

Here is how Twitter reacted:

Also READ: Twitter reactions: Kim Garth’s sensational bowling drives Australia to whitewash Bangladesh in Women’s ODI series

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

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