Chamari one of 10 players to watch

Sri Lanka’s Chamari Atapattu is among the 10 players the ICC has identified as to watch in the Women’s World Cup qualifier 2017 which will be held in Colombo from February 7-21.

An admirer of Sanath Jayasuriya’s attacking style of play, Chamari Atapattu is an integral part of the Sri Lankan team. Helped by Kumar Sangakkara’s advice to pace her innings, she has been both an aggressor and accumulator in the batting line-up.

She first burst onto the scene with a century against Ireland Women in 2011, but the biggest impact knock of her career remains her 62 in a one-wicket win over England Women in the 2013 World Cup in Mumbai. In the nine ODI wins she has been a part of, she has made four half-centuries, signifying her importance in the side. She is also the only Sri Lankan to score two ODI centuries. She fell one short of scoring her third ton, against Pakistan Women in January 2015.

Atapattu lost her father soon after being selected to the national team for the first time, but has used the setback as an inspiration to keep her career moving. Outside of cricket, Atapattu works for a bank in Colombo.

The other women cricketers to watch are Deepti Sharma (India), Precious Marange (Zimbabwe), Kim Garth (Ireland), Sornnarin Tippoch (Thailand), Sune Luus (South Africa), Anam Amin (Pakistan), Rumana Ahmed (Bangladesh), Kathryn Bryce (Scotland) and Ravini Oa (PNG).