India's women's cricket team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, secured a commanding 82-run victory against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, boosting their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the Women's T20 World Cup.
After India posted a tournament-high score of 172-3 in their 20 overs, Sri Lanka struggled to chase down the target, getting bowled out for 90 on the penultimate ball. The result marked India’s second win in three games, setting the stage for a crucial final group match against reigning six-time champions Australia on Sunday.
Opener Smriti Mandhana starred with the bat, scoring 50 off 38 balls, her 27th T20 international half-century. She put together a solid 98-run partnership with Shafali Verma, who contributed 43. Harmanpreet Kaur followed with a blistering 52 not out from just 27 deliveries, striking eight boundaries and a six.
Kaur, playing despite a neck injury sustained in a previous match, said, "It was one of those days when I was in my zone. I was only thinking about positives."
Sri Lanka’s reply faltered early, as they collapsed to 6-3 within the first three overs. Though Kavisha Dilhari (21) and Anushka Sanjeewani (20) put on a brief 37-run stand, the Asian champions couldn’t keep up with the required run rate. Only Ama Kanchana (19) also managed to reach double figures.
India’s bowlers, Arundhati Reddy and Asha Sobhana, both delivered impressive spells, claiming 3-19 each in four overs.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu acknowledged her team’s struggles, saying, "We didn't bowl in the right areas, and the batters, including myself, didn’t do a good job." With three losses, Sri Lanka are now out of semi-final contention.
