Jemimah Rodrigues continued her rich vein of form with a composed 69 not out off 44 balls, guiding India Women to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening match of the five-T20I series at Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
Chasing a modest target of 122, India raced to 122/2 in 14.4 overs, sealing the win with 32 balls to spare at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
Strong Partnerships After Early Setback
India lost Shafali Verma early for 9, but Jemimah steadied the innings with a 54-run second-wicket partnership alongside Smriti Mandhana. Jemimah then added an unbroken 55-run stand with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to finish the chase in style.
Rodrigues brought up her half-century in just 34 balls, striking 10 boundaries, mixing patience with fluent strokeplay. Quick footwork, late cuts and sharp running between the wickets highlighted her assured knock.
Mandhana played a measured hand, scoring 25 off 25 balls with four fours, becoming the first Indian woman to cross 4,000 T20I runs. She was later caught at deep extra cover off Inoka Ranaweera. Harmanpreet remained unbeaten on 15.
Bowlers Lay the Foundation
Earlier, India’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance to restrict Sri Lanka to 121/6, despite heavy dew and some sloppy fielding that included dropped catches and misfields.
Winning the toss, Harmanpreet opted to field, and the decision paid off as Sri Lanka struggled to find momentum throughout the innings.
Sri Lanka Struggle for Fluency
Sri Lanka managed just 31/1 in the powerplay, losing captain Chamari Athapaththu for 15 when Kranti Gaud rattled her stumps to claim her first T20I wicket.
Vishmi Gunaratne fought a lone battle with a 39 off 43 balls, hitting a four and a six. She added 38 runs with Harshitha Samarawickrama, but her run-out — courtesy of sharp work by Kranti Gaud, halted any hopes of a late surge.
Harshitha (21 off 23) and Hasini Perera (20 off 23) got starts but failed to capitalise, as Sri Lanka crossed the 100-run mark without ever threatening to accelerate.
Tight Spells from Indian Attack
India’s spinners kept the pressure firmly on the visitors. Deepti Sharma was outstanding, conceding just 10 runs in three overs, while debutant Vaishavi Sharma impressed with 0/16 in four overs. Kranti Gaud (1/23), Deepti Sharma (1/20) and N. Shree Charani (1/30) picked up a wicket apiece, ensuring Sri Lanka never gained control.
Selection Contrast Ahead of T20 World Cup
The match also highlighted contrasting selection strategies. India backed the core of their ODI World Cup-winning squad, while Sri Lanka handed opportunities to several youngsters as both teams build towards the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026. India now lead the five-match series 1–0.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka Women 121/6 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 39; Kranti Gaud 1-23, Deepti Sharma 1-20, N. Shree Charani 1-30) India Women 122/2 in 14.4 overs (Jemimah Rodrigues 69*, Smriti Mandhana 25; Inoka Ranaweera 1-17) Result: India Women won by eight wickets
