Women’s T20 World Cup: India Secures Commanding Win Over Sri Lanka

India’s women’s cricket team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, achieved a decisive 82-run victory over Sri Lanka on Wednesday, enhancing their chances of advancing to the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

India set a tournament-high total of 172-3 in their 20 overs, while Sri Lanka struggled to chase the target, being bowled out for just 90 runs on the penultimate ball. This victory marked India’s second win in three matches, positioning them for a crucial final group match against six-time defending champions Australia on Sunday.

Opener Smriti Mandhana was a standout performer, scoring 50 runs off 38 balls, marking her 27th T20 international half-century. She formed a strong partnership with Shafali Verma, who contributed 43 runs, leading to a solid 98-run collaboration. Harmanpreet Kaur also made a significant impact, remaining unbeaten with a quickfire 52 runs off just 27 balls, which included eight boundaries and a six.

Despite dealing with a neck injury from a previous match, Kaur expressed her positive mindset during the game, stating, “It was one of those days when I was in my zone. I was only thinking about positives.”

Sri Lanka’s innings got off to a rocky start, with the team collapsing to 6-3 within the first three overs. Although Kavisha Dilhari (21) and Anushka Sanjeewani (20) managed a brief 37-run partnership, the Asian champions struggled to maintain the required run rate. Only Ama Kanchana (19) reached double figures alongside them.

India’s bowlers, Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana, delivered stellar performances, each taking 3 wickets for just 19 runs in four overs.

Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, acknowledged her team’s difficulties, saying, “We didn’t bowl in the right areas, and the batters, including myself, didn’t do a good job.” With three losses, Sri Lanka has now been eliminated from semi-final contention.

Follow us on our social media platforms here: Twitter  WHATSAPP CHANNEL FACEBOOK PAGE