Colombo [Sri Lanka], April 8 (ANI): Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu has expressed her desire to continue playing international cricket beyond the next few years, providing a major boost to the team's preparations for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.

Head coach Jamie Siddons revealed that the veteran all-rounder remains highly motivated and committed to extending her already illustrious career.

'I've had a great chat with her. She is keen to play for a lot longer than one or two more years,' Siddons said, underlining Athapaththu's long-term plans, according to the ICC.

The 36-year-old's decision comes at a crucial time for Sri Lanka, with the marquee tournament fast approaching.

Athapaththu has been in fine form, recently finishing as her side's top scorer in both the ODI and T20I series victories against the West Indies. Siddons also highlighted her dominance in practice matches, suggesting she still has plenty to offer at the highest level.

A cornerstone of Sri Lanka's batting line-up, Athapaththu has led the side in 108 Women's T20 Internationals, the second-most by any captain in the format, behind India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

She is also among the leading run-scorers in Women's T20Is, with 3,637 runs in 154 matches, including three centuries and 14 half-centuries.

While her experience remains invaluable, Siddons indicated that Sri Lanka will also look to build bench strength ahead of the global event. The team has a challenging schedule lined up, including a home series against England, followed by assignments against West Indies and New Zealand, before travelling to Bangladesh for further preparation.

In the last Women's T20 World Cup, the Lankan side finished at the bottom of Group A in the points table after losing all four matches.

Sri Lanka have been placed in Group 2 for the tournament this year, alongside hosts England, West Indies, Ireland, Scotland and defending champions New Zealand, setting up a competitive path as they aim to make a strong impact on the world stage. (ANI)