Smriti and Shafali Lay the Groundwork
Electing to bat first, India’s openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, put on a spectacular 98-run partnership. Smriti was in sublime form, smashing a 38-ball fifty, while Shafali made a quick 43, becoming the youngest batter to score 2,000 runs in Women’s T20 Internationals.
Mandhana’s innings was filled with elegant strokes, including a powerful six off Inoka Ranaweera. Despite a brief slowdown, the openers ensured the scoreboard kept ticking with quick singles and well-placed shots.
Harmanpreet Finishes in Style
After Sri Lanka dismissed both openers in consecutive deliveries, India still had the firepower. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur took charge, smashing a 27-ball fifty, her aggressive batting helping India post a challenging 172/3 — the highest total in this edition of the tournament.
Harmanpreet’s powerful slog-sweeps and lofted drives took India well past 150, with her back-to-back boundaries in the final overs pushing India to a formidable score.
Sri Lanka’s Early Collapse
In response, Sri Lanka’s chase unraveled early. The dangerous Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed by Shreyanka Patil, while Radha Yadav’s stunning catch in the first over set the tone for India’s dominance. Sri Lanka’s top order collapsed to 6/3, and despite brief resistance from Kavisha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani, they were eventually bowled out for 90.
India’s bowlers were relentless, with Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana both claiming three wickets each. It was an all-round team effort as India decimated Sri Lanka to register their biggest win in T20 World Cup history.
Semifinal Hopes Still Alive
While India’s victory doesn’t secure their spot in the semifinals just yet, the win significantly boosts their chances by improving their net run rate. With one more group-stage match to go, India will be looking to carry this momentum forward and ensure they book a place in the knockout stages.
