Sri Lanka Women vs New Zealand Women: Recap of the Match Highlighting Plimmer's Performance

Sri Lanka Women vs New Zealand Women: Match Highlights

George Plimmer skipped down the pitch and hammered Sugandika Kumari over mid-off where Chamari Athapaththu leapt and thrust her hand above her head in vain, the ball racing to the boundary. The next time Plimmer advanced to such great effect she placed the ball just short of mid-off where Athapaththu was nutmegged in a clumsy attempt to get to the bounce and Sri Lanka were punished by another four. They were among just four boundaries for Plimmer who used her feet well, whether travelling to meet the pitch of the ball and dispatch it down the ground or using her crease to create space and access the off side en route to 53, her equal career-best score, at a strike rate of 120.45. It was her second half-century in T20Is and the first of this World Cup in Sharjah, which has proved a difficult ground for batters with its low bounce and vast, slow outfield.

New Zealand's Strategy and Execution

This was just the innings New Zealand had been seeking from her. Plimmer arrived in England for a bilateral series in June and July amid some excitement from the White Ferns. That didn't abate when she opened with 29, second only to Brooke Halliday's fighting fifty, in a heavy loss for New Zealand in the first ODI. But it was to be the pinnacle of an otherwise disappointing tour for Plimmer, who only reached double figures once more - in the second T20I - as New Zealand lost both series 3-0.

Preparing for Success

She hinted at this innings last month in scoring 53 against Australia in the third T20I in Brisbane as both teams put the finishing touches on their World Cup preparations. Here, a 49-run opening stand with Suzie Bates laid the foundation for New Zealand's second win from three matches and a 46-run partnership with Amelia Kerr, who had taken 2 for 13 to restrict Sri Lanka to 115 for 5, all but saw the White Ferns home. Sophie Devine, the captain, ended it with the only six of the match, muscling Sugandika Kumari over cow corner.