Colombo, Oct 17 (IANS) Skipper Laura Wolvaardt and her opening partner Tazmin Brits produced calm, composed knocks to steer South Africa Women to a convincing win over Sri Lanka in a rain-curtailed clash in the ICC Women’s World Cup at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Saturday.

Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 121 runs, the Proteas got home comfortably, built around a steady 121-run opening stand between Wolvaardt and Brits.

After Sri Lanka posted 105 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs, thanks to a composed start from Vishmi Gunaratne (34) and a late surge of 59 runs in the last eight overs, South Africa made light work of the chase despite the tricky conditions.

Skipper Wolvaardt led from the front, playing with her trademark elegance and control, finding gaps through cover and midwicket to keep the scoreboard ticking. She anchored the chase with an unbeaten 60, while opener Tazmin Brits provided the early momentum, striking cleanly on her way to a fluent 55 featuring four boundaries and two maximums.

The pair complemented each other perfectly — Wolvaardt’s precision and placement pairing seamlessly with Brits’ power and aggression — as Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to find breakthroughs.

Earlier, Sri Lanka’s innings had been disrupted by rain after 12 overs, forcing a reduction to **20 overs per side. Gunaratne gave her team a solid start before retiring hurt on 14 after being struck on the knee by a throw from Ayabonga Khaka. Following her exit, Masabata Klaas (2 wickets) and Nonkululeko Mlaba (3/30) restricted the hosts effectively, though late contributions from Nilakshi de Silva (18) and Kavisha Dilhari (14) helped Sri Lanka reach a respectable total.

The result keeps South Africa firmly in the hunt for a semifinal berth, now with four wins in five matches, while Sri Lanka remain in seventh position, needing a turnaround in their remaining fixtures.

Brief scores:

Sri Lanka 105/7 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 34, Nilakshika Silva 18; Nonkululeko Mlaba 3-30, Masabata Klaas 2-18) lost to South Africa 125 for no loss in 14.5 overs (Laura Wolvaardt 60 not out, Tanzim Britts 55 not out) by 10 wickets

–IANS

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