Some cricketing stories are about persistence, late recognition, and the hunger to seize every opportunity. Piumi Wathsala is a right-arm medium pacer from Beliatta, who made her Sri Lanka debut in 2025 at the age of 29
An age when many players are already established veterans. But for Piumi, the timing didn’t matter, as what mattered was that she finally had her chance to wear the national colors and step onto the big stage.
She is not an express quick bowler, but she has that steady seam movement and accuracy that makes her a captain’s comfort pick. She bowls in those middle overs where the game can drift, keeping things tight and asking batters to take risks.
With the bat, she may not have had her breakthrough innings yet, but she has the tools of a lower-order fighter, able to stick around, absorb pressure, and chip in when needed. Breaking into the squad in 2025 as part of a fresh group of uncapped players, she became one of the faces of Sri Lanka’s rebuilding process.
Her ability to maintain control has impressed selectors enough to include her in the squad for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. For a player who had been part of domestic cricket and Sri Lanka A setups, this is the leap she had been waiting for.
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