Cyprus Women posted 96/6 in their full 20 overs, a modest total that Greece Women chased down in just 14 overs to seal a two-wicket victory. The scorecard told a story of tight bowling and tentative batting across both sides.
Ayesha Dirannehelage top-scored for Cyprus with 26 off 40 balls, a measured innings on a difficult surface. Iresha Chathurani added 24 off 32, but neither could accelerate. Cyprus managed just 4.8 runs per over, never finding momentum despite fielding first. Both openers — Dinelka Koralalage and Alexandra Taylor — went wicketless, conceding only 9 and 16 runs respectively across their spells. The bowling, clearly, was the stronger suit.
Greece's chase exposed the tightness of the pitch further. Maria Syrioti led with 22 off 28, while Adamantia Makri contributed 19 off 27 — both laboured innings. Yet Greece accelerated sharply in the death, needing just 14 overs to get over the line at 82/2. Makri took 1/14 with the ball, and Maria Vervitsioti claimed 1/16, keeping Cyprus quiet throughout.
The run-rate gap — Cyprus's 4.8 versus Greece's 5.86 — proved decisive. Greece's lower middle order finished the job efficiently, suggesting they'd learned from Cyprus's sluggish powerplay. A gripping contest where totals were always going to be secondary.