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India Women crushed Sri Lanka Women by 30 runs in the 4th T20I at Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, posting a record-breaking 221/2 before restricting the visitors to 191/6. ‘s 80 off 48 balls and Shafali Verma‘s 79 off 46 balls powered the hosts to their highest Women’s T20I total, sealing a commanding series victory.
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma bolster through Sri Lanka bowling attack
Mandhana and Verma produced a breathtaking opening partnership to completely dismantle Sri Lanka’s bowling attack, laying the foundation for a massive Indian total. The duo came out with attacking intent from the very start, racing to 61 without loss inside the Powerplay and bringing up India’s fifty in just over five overs. Their 162-run stand came in just 15.1 overs, with both batters striking boundaries at will and keeping the pressure firmly on the bowlers. Mandhana played a classy yet destructive knock, reaching her half-century in 35 balls while peppering the field with 11 fours and three sixes. At the other end, Verma was even more explosive, smashing her fifty off just 30 deliveries and scoring at a furious pace as India crossed 100 in under 11 overs and surged past 150 shortly after.
Sri Lanka tried to break the momentum by rotating their bowlers, but the damage had already been done as boundaries continued to flow regularly. Verma was the first to depart after her scintillating innings, followed soon by Mandhana, but the onslaught did not stop there. Richa Ghosh walked in and finished the job in emphatic fashion, blasting an unbeaten 40 off just 16 balls, while skipper Harmanpreet Kaur provided solid support. Their late flourish powered India beyond the 200-run mark well before the final over, setting up a daunting total at a blistering run rate and leaving Sri Lanka with a mountain to climb.
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India’s tight bowling attack derails Sri Lanka chase in 4th T20I
India’s bowlers produced a disciplined and well-planned effort to halt Sri Lanka’s chase of a stiff 222, sealing a convincing 30-run victory and keeping their hopes of a clean sweep alive. Despite early fireworks from the visitors, the Indian attack held its nerve, tightened the screws in the middle overs, and ensured the asking rate remained out of reach throughout the innings.
Sri Lanka came out all guns blazing in the Powerplay, racing to 60 for 1 as Hasini Perera and skipper Chamari Athapaththu took the attack to the bowlers. Perera’s brisk 33 off just 20 balls, studded with seven boundaries, set the tone, while Athapaththu followed it up with an aggressive half-century, reaching her fifty in only 37 deliveries. The visitors crossed fifty inside four overs and brought up the hundred in just 10.4 overs, momentarily putting India under pressure.
However, the momentum shifted once wickets began to fall at crucial intervals. Arundhati Reddy broke the opening stand by removing Perera, and Vaishnavi Sharma soon dismissed Athapaththu, pegging Sri Lanka back just as the chase threatened to gather serious momentum. Though Imesha Dulani and Harshitha Samarawickrama tried to revive hopes with a quick partnership, untimely dismissals derailed the effort.
India’s bowlers, led by Vaishnavi and Reddy, maintained control in the death overs, with Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani effectively restricting the lower order. A late flourish from proved insufficient, as Sri Lanka finished well short of the target, allowing India to complete a comprehensive 30-run triumph and eyeing a whitewash.
Another game in the bag ✅ register a 3⃣0⃣-run win and lead the series 4⃣-0⃣ 🙌
Scorecard ▶️ |
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen)
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