Bristol, June 23 (IANS) Ireland captain Gaby Lewis remained optimistic about her team’s progress despite a comprehensive nine-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, saying the experience of competing against stronger opposition will only make the side “hungrier” to improve.

Ireland posted 130/5 after recovering from a disastrous start, with Lewis leading the rescue effort through a fighting 59-run knock. However, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu stole the show with a magnificent unbeaten 106 off 61 balls, guiding her side to 134/1 in just 15.3 overs at the County Ground on Tuesday.

Reflecting on Ireland’s innings, Lewis said rebuilding after the early collapse was the immediate priority after her side slipped to 30/3 during the powerplay.

“Yeah, it was definitely tough. I think you just have to rebuild. I feel like me and Leah did that well. The main thing for us was to get a partnership, and that’s what we focused on,” Lewis said after the match.

Ireland’s innings was in trouble after Amy Hunter was run out in the opening over, while Orla Prendergast and Rebecca Stokell also departed early. Lewis and Leah Paul then combined for a vital 66-run stand that steadied the innings and helped Ireland recover to a competitive total.

Despite the early setbacks, Lewis said the team does not want its batters to become overly cautious.

“We still want the girls to come in and play freely. We didn’t want the girls to retract because that’s not what you want as well. We need to still get a winning total on the board. I’m sure the girls will learn and come back better,” she said.

The Ireland skipper also spoke about the growing standards in international women’s cricket and believes the gap between her side and the world’s leading teams is not as large as some may think.

“Definitely, the level has gone up, but it also makes you hungrier as a cricketer. After every World Cup, you go back and think we’re not far off. Look at how close we were to beating New Zealand and how well we’ve played in patches. It’s just about everything coming together, and that’s what drives you to get better,” Lewis said.

Lewis’ innings of 59 was her second consecutive half-century in the tournament, but she admitted the result overshadowed the personal milestone. She also reserved special praise for Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu, whose century effectively ended Ireland’s hopes of defending 130.

“She’s a world-class player. She’s definitely one you need to get out; otherwise, what happened today can happen. It was a brilliant knock, and she did exactly what her team needed,” Lewis said.

Athapaththu dominated the chase from the outset, striking 17 fours and two sixes in her unbeaten 106 and becoming only the second player to score a century in the tournament.

Despite suffering another defeat, Lewis remains confident Ireland can finish their campaign on a positive note when they face the West Indies in their final group-stage match on Saturday.

“A win. We beat them in the Tri-Series, and the belief is still there in the squad. It’s about going back, rectifying our mistakes, and understanding where we went wrong today. It’s the same ground and the same time, so hopefully we can have some good conversations on how to turn it around for Saturday,” she said.

–IANS

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