Clinical India brush aside Sri Lanka

Monday, 28 April 2025 03:52 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Hasini Perera in her new role as opener top-scored for Sri Lanka Women with 30

Sneh Rana ran circles around the Lankan batters with three wickets

Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol saw India Women home with an unbroken stand of 95

Make winning start to Women’s ODI Tri-Series

India came up with a dominant performance to outplay host Sri Lanka by nine wickets and make a winning start to the Women’s ODI (WODI) Tri-Series played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

In a game reduced to 39 overs a side due to rain in the morning, Sri Lanka, put in to bat first, had the worst of the conditions and were bowled out inside their quota of overs for a sub-par total of 147.

Sri Lanka batters had quite a few starts but none went on to make a substantial contribution. Hasini Perera, promoted to open in the absence of Vishmi Gunaratne, top-scored with 30 off 46 balls (4 fours). Kavisha Dilhari (25 off 26) and Anushka Sanjeewani (22 off 39) also had starts, but the lack of partnerships cost Sri Lanka dearly.

There was some swing with the new ball, but it was India’s spinners who did most of the damage. Off-spinner Sneh Rana (3/31), and Nallapureddy Charani and Deepti Sharma with two wickets apiece, tied down the Lankan batters. 152 dot balls off the 230 faced by Sri Lanka tells the story of how much control the Indian bowlers had over the Lankan batters. To add to their woes, two batters were run out due to poor communication. The Indian fielding was not great, with a couple of missed chances, but they were not made to pay for their mistakes.

India’s win was never in doubt after their bowling effort. Smriti Mandhana gave them a rollicking start (43 off 46 balls, 6 fours) that kept them well above the asking rate. Player of the Match Pratika Rawal, with her fourth consecutive half-century (50* off 62 balls, 7 fours), and Harleen Deol (48* off 71 balls, 4 fours) added an unbeaten 95-run partnership for the second wicket to get their team home. To Sri Lanka’s credit, it must be said that they were good in the field and tried their best with the ball, but they didn’t have a score to defend and could not apply any kind of pressure on the Indian batters.

WODI caps were presented to two players from each side – Piumi Wathsala and Malki Madara from Sri Lanka and Kashvee Gautam and Shree Charani from India.

Tomorrow, India Women play South Africa Women.

Scores:

Sri Lanka Women 147 (38.1) (Hasini Perera 30, Kavisha Dilhari 25, Anushka Sanjeewani 22, Deepti Sharma 2/22, Sneh Rana 3/31, Shree Charani 2/26)

India Women 149-1 (29.4) (Pratika Rawal 50*, Smriti Mandhana 43, Harleen Deol 48*)

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