International career
Chamari Athapaththu, born on 9 February 1990, is one of Sri Lanka’s most accomplished cricketers and the current captain of the national women’s team. She made her international debut in 2010 and has since become the team’s leading batter and most recognized player worldwide. Her name entered the record books after an unbeaten 178 against Australia in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup — one of the greatest innings in women’s cricket history. In 2017, she was honored as Sri Lanka Cricket’s Women’s Cricketer of the Year for her outstanding performances. As the tenth captain in the national team’s history, she has led Sri Lanka in major tournaments across all formats. Her influence on and off the field earned her a special tribute in 2023 when the Sydney Cricket Ground named a fan zone “Chamari Bay” in her honor.
- 2009: Chamari Athapaththu made her international debut on June 15, 2009, in a T20I against India at Taunton and became the 12th player to represent Sri Lanka in women’s T20Is.
- 2010: She played her first WODI on April 18, 2010, against the West Indies at Basseterre and received ODI cap No. 44.
- 2011: On April 28, 2011, she scored her first ODI century against Ireland.
- 2013: During the ICC Women’s World Cup, she scored 62 runs against England, leading Sri Lanka to a historic victory over the defending champions.
- 2017: On June 29, 2017, in Bristol, she scored 178 not out off 143 balls against Australia, the highest individual score in Sri Lankan women’s cricket history and one of the top scores in global women’s ODIs.
- 2019: On September 29, she scored her first WT20I century (113 vs Australia) and on October 9, another ODI century vs Australia, the first Sri Lankan woman to achieve centuries in both formats against the same team.
- 2020: She was officially appointed captain of the Sri Lankan women’s team for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
- 2021: She led the team at the World Cup Qualifier and continued to serve as a key batter and captain.
- 2022: At the Commonwealth Games Qualifier in Malaysia, she scored 221 runs in 4 matches and was named Player of the Series. On June 3, she scored 101 runs against Pakistan and crossed 2,000 T20I runs, the first Sri Lankan woman to do so.
- 2023: She scored 108 not out and 140 not out (80) against New Zealand in the home ODI series, securing Sri Lanka’s first-ever ODI series win over New Zealand. She later rose to No. 1 in ICC ODI batting rankings, led the team to a 2–1 T20I series win in England, received Player of the Series, and won the ICC Women’s Player of the Month (September 2023). At the Asian Games in Hangzhou, Sri Lanka earned the silver medal.
- 2024: On April 17, in Potchefstroom, she scored 195 not out off 139 balls in an ODI, leading Sri Lanka to the highest successful run chase in women’s ODI history. ESPNcricinfo later named it the Women’s ODI Batting Performance of the Year. In July 2024, she guided Sri Lanka to their first Women’s T20 Asia Cup title, scored 61 runs in the final, totaled 304 runs in the tournament, and received Player of the Tournament.
- 2025: She led Sri Lanka in the tri-nation ODI series against India and South Africa. By October 2025, her international record stood at 118 ODIs (3,988 runs, 9 centuries) and 146 T20Is (3,458 runs, 3 centuries).
Leagues Participation
Chamari Athapaththu has been part of several major women’s franchise leagues around the world. Her career in these tournaments includes appearances in The Hundred, Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), and Women’s Premier League (WPL). Below is a factual summary of her participation by competition.
Women’s Hundred
Chamari Athapaththu debuted in The Hundred (Women) during the 2024 season, joining Oval Invincibles as an overseas player. Her signing was confirmed in July 2024, marking her first appearance in the competition after previously being linked with multiple teams.
She played 6 matches, scored 66 runs (average 11.00, highest 33), and bowled briefly without taking a wicket. She batted mostly as an opener or No. 3 batter.
Her season with the Invincibles in 2024 remains her only participation in The Hundred.
| Year | Team | Notes |
| 2024 | Oval Invincibles | 6 matches, 66 runs (HS 33), debut season |
Women’s Caribbean Premier League
Chamari Athapaththu made her WCPL debut in 2022 with Guyana Amazon Warriors. She played two innings, scoring 21 runs. In 2024, she joined Barbados Royals, scoring 129 runs (HS 70) and taking 2 wickets (2/24). Her innings of 39 not out in the final helped the Royals defend their title. In 2025, she remained with Barbados Royals and became the tournament’s top run-scorer with 194 runs (HS 89) and 7 wickets, including 4/7, and was named Player of the Series as her team won the title again.
| Year | Team | Notes |
| 2022 | Guyana Amazon Warriors | 21 runs, debut season |
| 2024 | Barbados Royals | 129 runs, 2/24, WCPL champion |
| 2025 | Barbados Royals | 194 runs, 7 wickets, Player of the Series, WCPL champion |
Women’s Big Bash League
Chamari Athapaththu first appeared in the WBBL 2017–18 (WBBL|03) for the Melbourne Renegades, scoring 175 runs and taking 4 wickets. She later played for Perth Scorchers (WBBL|07) and Melbourne Renegades (WBBL|08), recording a best of 75 not out. Her most successful season came in WBBL|09 (2023–24) with Sydney Thunder, where she scored 511 runs, took 9 wickets, and earned a place in the Team of the Season.
In 2024, she signed a three-year deal with Sydney Thunder covering WBBL|10–12.
| Year | Team | Notes |
| 2017–18 | Melbourne Renegades | 175 runs, 4 wickets |
| 2021–22 | Perth Scorchers | 182 runs |
| 2022–23 | Melbourne Renegades | 75 (best), replacement for Harmanpreet Kaur |
| 2023–24 | Sydney Thunder | 552 runs, 9 wickets, Team of the Season |
| 2024–25 | Sydney Thunder | Signed three-year contract |
Women’s Premier League
Chamari Athapaththu played her first WPL season in 2024 for UP Warriorz after being bought at the base price of INR 30 lakh. She appeared in 4 matches, scoring 28 runs (HS 17) and taking 3 wickets. The UP Warriorz finished third, losing in the Eliminator. Before the 2025 season, the franchise confirmed that Georgia Voll would replace her in the squad.
| Year | Team | Notes |
| 2024 | UP Warriorz | 28 runs, 3 wickets, team finished 3rd |
| 2025 | — | Replaced by Georgia Voll |
Domestic career
Chamari Athapaththu began her domestic career in Sri Lanka, first representing Colts CC in 2007, then Kurunegala Youth CC in 2009/10. From 2012/13 to 2016/17, she played for Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club Women, followed by a season with Chilaw Marians CC in 2018/19. These stages of her early career are confirmed in her official player profile under “Domestic team information”. Her overseas career started in England’s Kia Super League, where she played for Yorkshire Diamonds (2017–2018) and then for Loughborough Lightning (2019) as a replacement for Sophie Devine. In India, before the establishment of the Women’s Premier League, she represented Supernovas (2019–2020) in the Women’s T20 Challenge.
In Australia, she appeared for Melbourne Renegades (2017/18–2019/20, 2022/23), Perth Scorchers (2021/22), and Sydney Thunder (from 2023/24), signing a three-year pre-draft deal with the Thunder in August 2024.
Her Caribbean record includes stints with Guyana Amazon Warriors (2022) and Barbados Royals (2024–2025). With the Royals, she reached her peak in WCPL 2025, finishing as the top run-scorer (194 runs) and Player of the Series.
In New Zealand, she joined Northern Brave (Northern Districts) for the Super Smash 2023/24, continuing through the 2024/25 season. In England’s The Hundred, she debuted for the Oval Invincibles in 2024.
In India’s Women’s Premier League, Chamari was signed by UP Warriorz for WPL 2024, where she played 4 matches, scored 28 runs, and took 3 wickets.
Records and achievements
Chamari Athapaththu’s international and franchise career is marked by milestones that define her as one of the greatest players in women’s cricket.
- Captain of Sri Lanka Women in all formats (ODI, T20I, Test): confirmed by Sri Lanka Cricket and ICC.
- Highest individual score for Sri Lanka Women in ODIs: 178 off 143 balls vs Australia at Bristol on June 29, 2017, the highest in the nation’s history.
- Most ODI runs for Sri Lanka Women: over 3,600 runs, including 7 centuries and 16 fifties (as of 2025).
- Most T20I runs for Sri Lanka Women: over 2,600 runs, including 1 century (113 vs Australia, 2019) and more than 10 half-centuries.
- Only Sri Lankan woman with centuries in both ODI and T20I formats.
- Fastest ODI century for Sri Lanka Women: 100 off 70 balls vs Pakistan in 2018.
- Led Sri Lanka Women to historic milestones:
- First-ever T20I series win vs England (2–1 in England, 2023).
- First-ever ODI series win vs New Zealand (2023).
- Captain of the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup champions, the nation’s first major title.
- WBBL 2023–24 (Sydney Thunder):
- 511 runs in 13 innings (average 42.58, strike rate 129.69).
- 9 wickets as an all-rounder.
- Selected in the WBBL Team of the Season by Wisden and Cricket Australia.
- WCPL 2025 (Barbados Royals):
- Top run-scorer with 194 runs.
- Player of the Series.
- Guided team to the WCPL 2025 championship title.
- First Sri Lankan woman to play in every major global franchise league:
WBBL (Australia), The Hundred (England), WCPL (Caribbean), WPL (India), and Super Smash (New Zealand).
- UP Warriorz (WPL 2024): first Sri Lankan woman to participate in India’s Women’s Premier League.
- Holds record for most sixes by a Sri Lankan woman in international cricket: over 90, verified by ICC stats.
- ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year (2017): official ICC award listing.
- Sri Lanka Cricket Women’s Cricketer of the Year (2023): recognized at SLC Awards.
- Ranked No. 3 in ICC ODI Batting Rankings (2017): confirmed by ICC records.
- Represented Sri Lanka in every ICC Women’s World Cup (ODI and T20) from 2010 to 2023.
- One of the few women globally with centuries in both white-ball formats and a five-wicket haul in international cricket.
Personal life
Chamari Athapaththu’s personal life reflects professionalism and dedication both on and off the field.
Finance
Chamari Athapaththu is recognized as one of the highest-paid female athletes in Sri Lankan cricket history. Her income primarily comes from her Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Category A central contract and participation in major international leagues — WBBL (Sydney Thunder), WPL (UP Warriorz), WCPL (Barbados Royals), The Hundred (Oval Invincibles), and Super Smash (Northern Brave).
Estimated annual earnings (2024–2025):
- SLC Category A contract: approximately USD 40,000–50,000 per year
- Franchise leagues combined: about USD 150,000–250,000 per year
- Total estimated annual income: between USD 300,000–350,000, as reported by Wisden and regional media.
She is also a brand ambassador for Puma and several local Sri Lankan sports companies, further boosting her profile and income.
Family
She is unmarried and has no children, confirmed through her interviews with ThePapare and ICC Women’s Feature 2023. Her parents supported her cricket ambitions from an early age, though their names are not public. There are no verified records about siblings. In a 2022 interview, she said: “My family is proud that I represent Sri Lanka on the world stage”.
Scandals
Athapaththu has no record of controversies or disciplinary issues. She is widely respected for her leadership, honesty, and professionalism.
The only public discussion involving her occurred in 2021–2022, when she criticized the lack of funding and facilities for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka. Her comments were viewed as constructive advocacy rather than controversy.
Fans
Chamari has a strong and loyal global following, reflecting her influence across multiple cricket markets. As of 2025:
- Instagram: around 550,000 followers
- Facebook: around 420,000 followers
- Twitter/X: around 85,000 followers
All her social accounts are verified. Her posts typically show training sessions, match highlights, motivational quotes, and team or family photos.
