Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu has made history, becoming the first woman cricketer from her nation to achieve 4,000 One Day International (ODI) runs. This monumental milestone was reached during her impressive 46-run innings against Bangladesh in the ongoing Women’s World Cup 2025.
The record-breaking match took place at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. After winning the toss, Athapaththu elected to bat first, leading from the front. Although she was eventually dismissed by Rabeya Khan after a brisk 46 runs off just 43 balls, her contribution was enough to secure her place in the record books.
Even without reaching a half-century in this particular game, the 35-year-old’s achievement highlights her extraordinary talent and consistency. To put her feat into perspective, the next highest run-scorer for Sri Lanka in ODIs is Shashikala Siriwardene, with 2,029 runs, showcasing Athapaththu’s remarkable dominance in women’s cricket.
Needing just a single run before the Bangladesh fixture, Athapaththu now stands as the fourth Asian and the 20th female batter globally to accumulate 4,000 runs in Women’s ODIs. Her national board proudly celebrated this landmark, stating, “HISTORY MADE! A massive congratulations to our trailblazer, Chamari Athapaththu, on becoming the first Sri Lankan and only the fourth Asian batter to cross the 4000 run mark in ODIs! She also now holds the record for the most ODI caps for Sri Lanka!”
This match against Bangladesh holds significant importance for Sri Lanka’s World Cup journey, as a victory is crucial for their semi-final aspirations. With Australia, South Africa, and England having already secured their spots, five teams – India, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Pakistan – are fiercely competing for the final semi-final berth. A loss in this encounter would see Sri Lanka eliminated from the tournament.
(Image: Chamari Athapaththu)