Chamari Atapattu to lead Sri Lanka Women

Chamari Atapattu was appointed the captain of the Sri Lanka Women’s side on Friday (25), after a Sri Lanka Cricket selection committee meeting.

Atapattu’s appointment comes on the back of the resignation of Shashikala Siriwardene, who stepped down from the post after the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2014. Udeshika Prabodhini will serve as Atapattu's deputy.

Atapattu, a left-hand batter, has played in 20 ODIs. She has scored 816 runs, including a century, at an average of 28.13, while in 35 Twenty20 Internationals, she has amassed 447 runs.

Atapattu had served as Siriwardene’s deputy in the Women’s World T20.

Sri Lanka won only one of its four matches in the Group Stages. It also lost the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 2016 qualification play-off against New Zealand Women and eventually finished in eighth place after losing the seventh place play-off against Pakistan Women.

The defeat against New Zealand meant Sri Lanka will now have to qualify for 2016 edition.

Siriwardene had led the team for more than eight years, having taken over the captaincy in December 2005. She has been captain in 80 limited-overs matches.