Chamari Athapaththu to skip Ireland T20Is to play in The Hundred: Reports

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu will reportedly skip her side's T20I series against Ireland in August to be available for Oval Invincibles in the Women's Hundred. Sri Lanka women will tour Ireland for two T20Is on August 11 and 13 followed by a three-match ODI series from August 16-20.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Athapaththu is planning to be available for all the group stage matches for the Invincibles which will run till August 14. She'll then join her team across the border for ODIs, which are part of the crucial 2022-25 ICC Women's Championship cycle.

Sri Lanka announced a joint squad for both rubbers on Sunday which still included Athapaththu as captain. In her absence, the most recent vice-captain of the team, the rising star Harshitha Samarawickrama could take the reins of the team, although it's not confirmed yet.

The squad was almost identical to the one that recently lifted the 2024 T20 Asia Cup at home by beating a strong Indian side in the final. The only addition is wicketkeeper Kaushini Nuthyangana who hasn't played an ODI game for Sri Lanka yet.

Although she's included more as a wicketkeeping backup, some game time might not be unrealistic in Athapaththu's absence. After all, this series would be about the team taking further steps towards a life without the epochal captain, with Athapaththu already hinting that the next World Cup in 2025 could be her last appearance n Sri Lankan colors.

The Asia Cup final, where Harshitha and young all-rounder Kavisha Dilhari clinched a tricky chase after Atapattu's blitz at the start, would come as a good motivation for the team.

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Full Sri Lanka squad for the tour of Ireland

Chamari Athapaththu (C), Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Anushka Sanjeewani, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Achini Kulasuriya, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Kawya Kavindi, Sachini Nisansala, Shashini Gimhani, Ama Kanchana, Kaushini Nuthyangana