Image Credit- WBBL
Rejections are “some kind of motivation” for
Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, who stated that she was “not
shocked but surprised” that no one bid during the 2024 Women’s Premier
League auction.
Athapaththu had an incredible 2023 in Twenty20
Internationals, amassing 470 runs at an average of 31.33 and a strike rate of
130.91, which ranked fourth among players from Full Members. She took eight
wickets at a 5.97 economy rate with the ball. Additionally, she guided Sri
Lanka to victories in both the home ODI series against New Zealand and the away
T20I series against England. Nevertheless, she was first disregarded at WPL and
WBBL.
“I am not shocked, I am surprised because they
didn’t pick me,” Athapaththu said in a media interaction on Tuesday.
“But these things are not in my control. I think of what I can control
because these decisions are taken by someone else – some coaches or some [team]
management. I can’t control these things, but what I can control is my batting,
my bowling. I just want to do what I can do. I take these decisions in good
spirit and do my best.”
Athapaththu was selected as a substitute player after
being left out of the foreign draft held in advance of the WBBL. She dominated
the competition, scoring 552 runs at a strike rate of 127.18 and 42.46, just
five less than the lead scorer Beth Mooney. In addition, she returned nine
wickets at a 6.83 economy rate.
However, UP Warriorz only signed her after Lauren Bell
withdrew to make room for England’s New Zealand tour; even those stats failed
to secure her a spot in the WPL.
“Rejection is some kind of motivation for
me,” she said. “It is good for me because sometimes I can learn and I
want to show what I can do. If someone says it can’t be done, be the first one
to do it – that is my philosophy. I just want to prove what I can do.”