After a tough opening game against Scotland, Ireland responded superbly against stronger opposition. They pushed England for long and came close to beating New Zealand, only to lose by just four runs. Those narrow defeats gave encouragement despite the points deficit.
Captain Gaby Lewis will be hoping her team can finally translate competitive performances into victory. Ireland’s batting showed flashes of promise but often struggled to finish games strongly. The bowling attack, meanwhile, has consistently kept the team in contests.
A win over Sri Lanka would provide a positive end to a challenging tournament and would reward the effort shown by the team throughout the competition. Without the pressure of qualification calculations, Ireland were able to play freely and confidently, making them a dangerous opponent despite their elimination.
