Sri Lanka secured a first series win over the Proteas with a four-wicket victory in the third women’s T20I in East London on Wednesday.

Chamari Athapaththu struck seven fours and five sixes on her way to a 46-ball 73, while Harshitha Samarawickrama remained unbeaten with 54 off 43 deliveries (four fours, one six) during Sri Lanka’s successful chase.

South Africa had earlier posted 155-6 thanks mainly to captain Laura Wolvaardt’s 56 off 47 balls (eight fours).

Wolvaardt spearheaded the hosts’ innings, guiding them to 37-0 in the fourth over, before Tazmin Brits fell to Sungadika Kumari (3-24) for seven.

The Proteas were 50-1 at the end of the powerplay, but stumbled to 65-3 in the ninth over after losing the wickets of Marizanne Kapp (eight) and Suné Luus (five).

Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch (27) steadied the innings, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers continued to chip away at the Proteas’ lineup and only Nadine de Klerk’s late onslaught (44 off 25 balls) propelled South Africa past 150.

In their chase, Sri Lanka’s in-form opener Vishmi Gunaratne was dismissed for one with the first ball of the second over as Wolvaardt took a smart overhead catch off the bowling off Nonkululeko Mlaba (1-26).

But the early wicket did little to slow the visitors down as captain Athapaththu helped push her team to 48-1 at the end of the poweplay.

The Sri Lankans quickly advanced to 82-1 after 10 overs, with the right-hander bringing up her ninth career fifty in devastating fashion with two consecutive sixes in the ninth over.

After bludgeoning another six alongside Samarawickrama to help take Sri Lanka into triple figures, Athapaththu’s impressive knock was brought to an end by Kapp (1-24) to conclude the record-breaking 97-run stand.

Marx (1-27) picked up the scalp of Dilhari (one) to leave Sri Lanka on 114-3 after 14 overs, still needing 42 runs to win.

Despite losing wickets, Samarawickrama’s composed innings, alongside partnerships with Hasini Perera (10) and Nilakshika Silva (12), guided Sri Lanka to the brink of victory.

Samarawickrama completed the triumph with a winning single with five balls to spare.

Wolvaardt was named Player of the Series after recording 158 runs in two innings at an average of 79.

The three-match ODI series gets underway on Tuesday at Buffalo Park.

Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images