Smriti & Shafali's Record Stand Powers India to 30-Run Win Over Sri Lanka

Asked to bat first for the first time in the series, Smriti and Shafali shared a blistering 162-run opening stand, India's highest ever partnership for the first wicket in T20Is. It was an absolute treat for the enthusiastic fans as India posted their highest-ever score in the shortest format. Shafali continued her rich vein of form by hitting 79 off 46 deliveries - her third consecutive half-century laced with 12 fours and a six. Smriti, on the other hand, took her time to get going before matching her partner stroke for stroke in a knock of 80 off 48 balls, hitting 11 fours and three sixes.

Though both fell in successive overs, Richa Ghosh applied finishing touches with an unbeaten 40 off just 16 balls. Her late assault, coupled with Harmanpreet Kaur's 16 not out off 10 balls, ensured India closed with a flourish by adding 63 runs in the last five overs.

Chasing 222, Sri Lanka mounted a spirited effort by racing to fifty in just 3.3 overs, and captain Chamari Athapaththu top-scoring with 52, as all batters came out with an intention to hit boundaries. Yet they could not overhaul India's record score, as Sri Lanka ended up at 191/6, which is now their highest total posted in women's T20Is.

India were tested for the first time in the series, as their bowlers grappled with a wet ball and the fielding unit looked below par. Vaishnavi Sharma stood out with her figures of 2-24 in her four overs, while Arundhati Reddy took 2-42. The rest of the attack found it hard to contain Sri Lankan batters, but the cushion of a record batting effort proved to be decisive as India held firm to extend their unbeaten run in the series.

India raced to 61/0 at the end of the powerplay, with boundaries flowing freely from the bats of Smriti and Shafali as every over in the opening phase yielded at least two fours. The Sri Lankan bowlers found no respite as captain Chamari cycled through her options without success.

Smriti reached a significant milestone during her innings, becoming just the fourth woman and second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach 10,000 international runs. She brought up her fifty off 36 balls alongside Shafali, who got her half-century in 30 balls.

After a brief slowdown during overs 7-9, where India managed just 14 runs, Shafali and Smriti exploded by plundering 74 runs in the next five overs. The acceleration was remarkable: the first 50 runs came in 32 balls, the next 50 in 33 balls, but the final 50 required just 21 deliveries.

Nimasha broke through in the 16th over by dismissing Shafali caught and bowled, before Smriti followed soon after, falling to Malsha when her top edge was caught by backward square leg.

Richa then unleashed carnage in the death overs, smashing an unbeaten quick-fire knock that included a brutal assault on Kavisha Dilhari in the 19th over - smashing three sixes and a four in four consecutive balls. She and Harmanpreet added an unbroken 50-run partnership in just 24 balls to propel India past their previous best of 217/4, set against the West Indies in Navi Mumbai last year.

In the chase, Sri Lanka made their intentions clear from the first ball, with Hasini Perera smashing three boundaries in the opening over off Renuka Singh Thakur. Arundhati Reddy, brought into the side for this match in place of a rested Kranti Gaud, endured a torrid start to her spell.

Her first two legal deliveries disappeared to the fence, with the second coming off a no-ball and free hit that yielded 10 runs, as the second over went for 15 runs. India's attempt to stem the flow by introducing spin backfired as Deepti Sharma's first over leaked 13 runs, as Sri Lanka rocketed to 43/0.

The opening pair of Hasini and Chamari Athapaththu continued their onslaught through the powerplay, bringing up Sri Lanka's fifty in the fourth over. India's breakthrough came in the sixth over when Arundhati dismissed the dangerous Perera for 33 off 20 balls. The opener attempted to clear long-off, but the bat turned in her hand, and Harmanpreet Kaur completed the catch at mid-off.

It briefly stalled Sri Lanka's momentum as boundaries dried up. However, captain Chamari and Imesha Dulani steadied the innings through smart strike rotation, keeping the scoreboard ticking. At the 10-over mark, Sri Lanka stood at 95/1, six runs ahead of India's position at the same stage.

A moment of fortune came for Imesha when Vaishnavi Sharma beat her in flight and almost had her stumped if wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh hadn't missed it, but the delivery was ruled a no-ball. Chamari reached her fifty off just 31 balls, but just as she appeared set for playing a match-winning knock, she departed for 52 off 37 balls - holing out in the deep off Vaishnavi Sharma.

Though Deepti misjudged the delivery and dropped a chance of Harshitha Samarawickrama, it didn't cost much as Imesha was run out by a good throw from Amanjot Kaur. In the next over, Harshitha was beaten in flight by Vaishnavi, and this time, Richa held on to complete the stumping.

The fielding errors continued when Richa missed a stumping, while Smriti dropped a catch at long-on to give Nilashika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari reprieves. But Kavisha fell for 13 off Arundhati, with substitute fielder G Kamalini finally taking the catch after three failed attempts. Though Deepti dropped another catch, this time of Rashmika Sewwandi, she was castled by a slower full toss from Sree Charani, as India got the game in their favour yet again.

Brief scores:

India 221/2 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 80, Shafali Verma 79, Richa Ghosh 40 not out; Malsha Shehani 1-32, Nimasha Madushani 1-40) beat Sri Lanka 191/6 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 52, Hasini Perera 33; Vaishnavi Sharma 2-24, Arundhati Reddy 2-42) by 30 runs

- IANS