Thiruvananthapuram: A record opening partnership headlined another dominant performance for India as the hosts took a 4-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday.
Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma scored fluent half-centuries to break their own record for India’s highest partnership in Women’s T20 Internationals.
Their stand laid the foundation for India’s highest WT20I score, which the bowlers comfortably defended despite a spirited chase from the visitors.
Mandana and Verma set the early tone with a positive approach in the powerplay, finding boundaries at regular intervals.
Verma accelerated later in the phase, hitting 37 off just 20 balls, while Mandana reached a major milestone, becoming only the fourth player to cross 10,000 runs in women’s international cricket – and the only one to do so.
Although Mandana was briefly sidelined, Verma dominated the Sri Lankan attack to reach his third consecutive half-century.
Two balls later, he sent one into the stands, while Mandhana completed his own half-century in 35 balls in the next over. With 120 runs for no loss in 12 overs, India reached a huge score.
The pair continued to play with the bowlers and broke their own partnership records, with both batsmen scoring centuries as India entered the final five overs.
However, in an unexpected twist, both Mandhana and Verma were dismissed in six balls.
Then Richa Ghosh and captain Harmanpreet Kaur took charge of the finishing touches. Ghosh took the opportunity to punish the Sri Lankan bowlers, scoring 6, 6, 4 and 6 in the last over.
Harmanpreet ensured India passed 220 for the first time in WT20I history.
Despite the tough target, Sri Lanka responded bravely. Hasini Perera got off to a flying start with three fours in the opening over and added two more in the next over as Sri Lanka raced to 29 for no loss.
Samari Athabadhu hit a six and a boundary off Deepti Sharma, while Hasini continued to take the score to within 50 runs.
India saw a breakthrough when Arundhati Reddy broke the opening stand in the final over of the powerplay.
Athapatu, however, was aggressive, pulling Amanjot Kaur for a six as Sri Lanka reached 95/1 at the half. He scored a half-century but was soon dismissed by Vaishnavi Sharma.
India took control from there as Imesha Dulani was run out and Vaishnavi struck again to dismiss Harshita Samarawickrama.
With 67 runs needed from the last three overs, the task proved too steep and Sri Lanka eventually fell by 30 runs.