‘I don’t want to take any pressure’ – Chamari Athapaththu ahead of WPL 2024

Chamari Athapaththu. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Chamari Athapaththu, who went unsold in the WPL (Women’s Premier League) 2024 auction, was recently picked by the UP Warriorz to play in the forthcoming edition. Notably, Athapaththu is one of the best batters and one of the most consistent all-rounders in the women’s game had unsold in the 2023 auction as well. It raised the eyebrows of many as the star cricketer was not considered by any team and went undol

She was now picked by the Warriorz as a replacement for England’s Lauren Bell, as the latter withdrew from the tournament to represent the national side in the T20I series against New Zealand. The Sri Lankan cricketer will now play alongside Grace Harris, Danni Wyatt, and skipper Alyssa Healy in the WPL. After being picked by the WPL side, the 33-year-old stated that she did not want to put herself under any pressure and instead would focus on playing her natural game.

“Every game is important for me. So, this is a good opportunity for me and I just want to play my natural game. I don’t want to take any pressure on my shoulders and, rather, enjoy my time in the middle. It’s a competition and I want to take one game at a time. So, I will try and keep things simple and play my natural game,” Athapaththu told India Today in a media interaction, conducted by the Warriorz.

I am super excited because of the atmosphere in India: Athapaththu

The 33-year-old further spoke about her experience playing in India, stating she is ‘super excited’ to play there again. The Sri Lanka T20I captain led Supernovas when the Women’s T20 Challenge took place in Jaipur in 2019.

“I had a few good experiences in India, especially in the Women’s T20 Challenge where massive crowds came to see us play. I hope spectators will come to watch us even in the WPL. It’s a different atmosphere altogether, and I am super excited because of the atmosphere and cheers from the crowd,” Athapaththu added.