HAMBANTOTA: Sidra Amin’s unbeaten century went in vain as Vishmi Gunaratne and Harshitha Samarawickrama hit centuries to power Sri Lanka to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the second women’s One-day International at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

The hosts chased down Pakistan’s 274-run target in 46.5 overs to level the three-match series 1-1, with the result largely shaped by a record 203-run partnership between Gunaratne and Samarawickrama.

The pair’s stand was Sri Lanka’s highest for any wicket in women’s ODIs and the first 200-plus partnership for the team in the format. Their centuries also underlined Sri Lanka’s batting depth in the absence of captain Chamari Athapaththu, who was dismissed for one early in the innings.

After Pakistan were asked to bat first, Sidra anchored the innings with a composed 100 not out off 120 balls, hitting 13 fours. The right-hander brought up her seventh ODI century in the final over, but Pakistan’s total of 273 for five proved insufficient on a good batting surface.

Ayesha Zafar provided the innings with momentum, scoring 49 off 45 balls with five fours and two sixes, while Muneeba Ali contributed 45. Captain Fatima Sana added a brisk 25 off 18 balls towards the end.

Sidra said Pakistan had adjusted well to the conditions but felt the team could have scored more freely against Sri Lanka’s slower bowling.

“Usually Asian wickets are on the slower side, but today’s wicket was a little better,” she said after the match. “Their bowlers started with pace, which was good for batting, but then they went back to the plan from the previous match and started bowling slower balls. That created a bit of difficulty.”

She credited Pakistan’s partnerships and the communication between the batters for helping the team reach a competitive total.

“The good thing was that partnerships kept coming and the message from outside was to keep taking four, five or six runs,” Sidra said. “The conversation within the unit was that everyone should play to their strengths and, whenever the ball was there, at least look to hit it towards the boundary so that the run rate and scoreboard kept moving.”

Pakistan made an early breakthrough when Fatima Sana had Athapaththu caught behind in the fifth over, leaving Sri Lanka 20 for one. But Gunaratne and Samarawickrama then took control of the chase.

Gunaratne reached her half-century off 55 balls and accelerated after the halfway stage, bringing up her century off 107 deliveries. Samarawickrama, who was more measured initially, reached her hundred off 119 balls.

Gunaratne was eventually stumped for 123 off 123 balls, having struck 11 fours and a six, but by then Sri Lanka required only 52 runs from 64 balls.

Kavisha Dilhari joined Samarawickrama and immediately adopted an aggressive approach, smashing an unbeaten 40 off 33 balls. The pair added 52 in just 45 balls to ensure there was no late twist.

Samarawickrama completed her century with a four with only eight runs required, before Dilhari struck the winning boundary.

Sidra acknowledged Pakistan had areas to improve ahead of the decider.

“We probably bowled a little too much on the off side in between,” she said. “In the next match, god-willing, our plan will be to hit the stumps more so that the batters don’t get as many opportunities to open up and hit us freely.”

With the series now level, Sidra said Pakistan would give everything in the final match.

“Sri Lanka are a very good team. We will give it everything, and god-willing we will give double everything to win the series,” she said.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2026