Spirited Sri Lanka notch up highest WT20I total before losing

Monday, 29 December 2025 02:29 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Smriti Mandhana (left) and Shafali Verma produced India’s highest partnership for any wicket in WT20Is with 162

India lead five-match Women’s T20I series 4-0

Skipper Chamari Athapaththu led Sri Lanka’s run chase at the top with 52 off 37 balls

Hasini Perera helped Chamari Athapaththu in an opening stand of 59 off 33 balls

Sri Lanka came up with a spirited batting performance to notch up their highest total in Women’s T20Is – 191/6, before going down by 30 runs to India in the fourth match of the five-match series played at Thiruvananthapuram yesterday.

It was an excellent response from Sri Lanka after being kept down by totals of less than 130 in the first three WODIs. Although Sri Lanka lost, producing their highest-ever T20I total was in itself a big statement.

Hasini Perera gave Sri Lanka a flying start and skipper Chamari Athapaththu joined the charge, as they raced to 50 in just 3.3 overs, adding 59 for the opening wicket. Athapaththu carried on after Perera’s dismissal, bringing up her first fifty of the series and keeping Sri Lanka ahead of India’s score at the halfway stage. Every batter who came in showed intent, kept finding boundaries, and ensured the chase stayed alive for a long time.

But Sri Lanka couldn’t quite match India’s explosive second half and eventually finished on 191-6, with Athapaththu making a top score of 52 off 37 balls (3 fours, 3 sixes).

For India, this was the first real challenge of the series. The bowlers had to operate with a wet ball, the fielders weren’t at their sharpest, and they did struggle at times. Only Vaishnavi Sharma truly stood out, finishing with impressive figures of 2/24 in her four overs. Thankfully, India’s batters had put up a massive total and that cushion allowed them to extend their winning run.

After Sri Lanka won the toss and invited India to bat first, nothing went right for them from that point as India’s openers went on a tear. Shafali Verma continued her dream run, giving India a blazing start scoring 79 off 46 balls (12 fours, 1 six), while Player of the Match Smriti Mandhana (80 off 48 balls, 11 fours, 3 sixes), although slow to begin with, soon caught up and matched her stroke for stroke. The pair went on a rampage, stitching together a stunning 162-run opening stand, which was India’s highest for any wicket, before both fell in consecutive overs.

Sri Lanka sensed an opening, but Richa Ghosh slammed that door shut with a brutal 16-ball 40 (4 fours, 3 sixes), adding 53 alongside skipper Harmanpreet Kaur to ensure a powerful finish.

The fifth and final WODI will be played at the same venue tomorrow.

Scores:

India Women 221-2 (20) (Smriti Mandhana 80, Shafali Verma 79, Richa Ghosh 40*)

Sri Lanka Women 191-6 (20) (Hasini Perera 33, Chamari Athapaththu 52, Imesha Dulani 29, Harshitha Samarawickrama 20, Nilakshika Silva 23*, Arundhati Reddy 2/42, Vaishnavi Sharma 2/24)