Sri Lankan women's captain Chamari Athapaththu succeeded South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt in a remarkable third ODI characterised by two great innings where records fell with the visitors securing a six-wicket win to level the series at the JB Marks Oval in Potchefstroom on Wednesday night.
Batting first, Wolvaardt achieved the highest-ever individual score by a South African woman, hitting 24 fours and four sixes in her unbeaten 184 off 147 balls, guiding her team to an imposing 301/5 in their 50 overs.
However, Athapaththu surpassed her, striking 26 fours and five sixes in her unbeaten 195 off just 139 balls. She surpassed her own record for the highest individual score by a Sri Lankan woman, and their successful chase was the highest ever in women's ODI cricket, marking the first time a score over 300 had been chased down.
Athupaththu currently holds the third-highest individual score in women's ODIs. She is surpassed only by New Zealand's Amelia Kerr, who scored 232 not out, and Australia's Belinda Clark, who scored 229 not out. Meanwhile, Wolvaardt ranks fifth on the list, trailing India's Deepti Sharma, who holds the fourth position with a score of 188.
Wolvaardt did secure the player-of-the-series award, thanks to her unbeaten 110 in the second ODI, guiding the Proteas to a seven-wicket victory in Kimberley. Meanwhile, the first ODI in East London was washed out due to rain.
In the match, the Sri Lankan innings got off to an excellent start as Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne (26) put on a 90-run opening partnership before the Proteas fought back with a flurry of wickets.
Delmi Tucker made the breakthrough, trapping Gunaratne LBW, while new batter Prasadani Weerakkody (4) was caught by a diving Tucker off Nadine de Klerk as they slipped to 109/2 in the 19th over.
Ayabonga Khaka then took centre stage, picking up two wickets in an over. She had Hansima Karunaratne (3) caught by keeper Sinalo Jafta.
But Athapaththu and Nilakshi Silva (50*) combined for a match-winning unbeaten 179-run fifth-wicket partnership to stunningly take their side to a scarcely believable win with 33 balls to spare.
At the start of play, Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl. The Proteas innings began promisingly, with Wolvaardt and her opening partner Lara Goodall (31) forming a 116-run partnership for the first wicket.
In the 11th over, Wolvaardt took aim at Kawya Kavindi, hitting back-to-back boundaries and a six, before punching a glorious forward drive down the ground to bring up a scintillating half-century off just 35 balls.
The Proteas reached the 100-run milestone in the 18th over when Goodall elegantly played a reverse sweep for four. However, a rapid succession of wickets halted their momentum.
Wolvaardt starred in two big partnerships, adding 63 with Marizanne Kapp and 92 with Nadine de Klerk (35), allowing her to power to her century and on to her career-best, while also taking the Proteas over 300.
