The Indian women’s cricket team put up another confident performance as they defeated Sri Lanka Women by 15 runs in the fifth and final T20I of the series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. With this win, India completed a 5-0 clean sweep, underlining their superiority in the entire series.
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bowl first
Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and decided to bowl first. India entered the match without star opener Smriti Mandhana, who was rested. This decision put pressure on the slightly reshuffled Indian batting order.
India’s top order struggles early
Batting first, India did not have a good start. Openers Shafali Verma and Harleen Deol were out cheaply and debutant G Kamalini also returned to the pavilion early. India came under pressure due to quick fall of wickets inside the powerplay.
Harmanpreet Kaur is at the forefront
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur once again proved her captaincy with the bat. He played a calm but aggressive innings of 68 runs off 43 balls, hitting nine fours and a sky-scraping six. His innings steadied the ship and helped India rebuild after early setbacks.
Midstream failed to raise capital
Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma failed to convert their starts and were out without making a big impact. At that time, India needed someone to provide late pace.
India’s total score increased due to late night fireworks
Amanjot Kaur scored a useful 21 runs, but it was Arundhati Reddy who provided the final breakthrough. She remained unbeaten after scoring 27 runs in just 11 balls with the help of four fours and a six. His explosive cameo took India to a competitive score of 175 for 7 in 20 overs.
Chamari Athapaththu, Kavisha Dilhari and Rashmika Sewandi took two wickets each for Sri Lanka.
Positive start to Sri Lanka’s chase
Chasing 176 runs, Sri Lanka was given a strong start by opener Hasini Perera, who played an excellent inning of 65 runs in 42 balls, which included eight fours and a six. His aggressive approach kept Sri Lanka in the contest.
Captain Athapaththu failed with the bat
Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu had a disappointing performance with the bat and could score only two runs. However, Imisha Dulani added stability at No. 3 by scoring 50 off 39 balls.
Indian bowlers maintained tight control
Despite the efforts of Perera and Dulani, the Indian bowlers maintained discipline and controlled the run flow. All the Indian bowlers contributed by taking one wicket each and prevented Sri Lanka from building a strong partnership.
India won the series with authority
Sri Lanka scored 160 runs for 7 wickets in 20 overs and missed by 15 runs. The result ensured a comprehensive 5-0 series win for India Women, showcasing their depth, balance and consistency in all departments.
The series win has given India strong momentum as they continue to look towards future international challenges, while Sri Lanka will look to regroup after a tough tour.
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