India continued their commanding start to the T20I series against Sri Lanka, securing a comprehensive win in the second match at Visakhapatnam. The performance highlighted the gulf between the two sides, with India’s spinners stifling Sri Lanka’s middle order and their top-order batters chasing down the target with ease.
Left-arm spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and N Shree Charani took two wickets each, while Sneh Rana, drafted in place of the unwell Deepti Sharma, maintained pressure on the opposition. Shafali Verma showcased her destructive batting, scoring an unbeaten 69 off just 34 deliveries to guide India to a comfortable victory over the modest 129-run target with 49 balls to spare. India now lead the series 2-0 heading into the Thiruvananthapuram leg.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu tried to set the tone early, urging her team to step up after the first-game loss. She scored 31 off 24 balls in the opening 5.3 overs, attacking the Indian fielders and taking advantage of field restrictions. Vishmi Gunaratne fell early, caught by Kranti Gaud, but Athapaththu’s efforts briefly lifted the team before India’s spinners regained control.
Sneh Rana’s disciplined bowling proved crucial in stemming the momentum. Tasked with containing Athapaththu, she used flight and dip to induce errors, dismissing the Sri Lankan captain. Rana then maintained pressure on the remaining batters, bowling a maiden that allowed Charani to slip in quiet overs, resulting in key wickets. Vaishnavi Sharma also claimed her first international wicket, supported by a simple catch from Charani.
Sri Lanka struggled after a strong start, hitting only two boundaries in the final overs as they lost six wickets for 24 runs, finishing with a below-par total once again. Three run-outs in consecutive games further compounded their difficulties.
Chasing the target, India relied on Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues to maintain momentum. Shafali initially paced herself while Smriti Mandhana provided aggressive impetus. After Mandhana’s dismissal, Shafali accelerated, targeting Inoka Ranaweera’s left-arm spin and dispatching successive boundaries to dominate the innings.
Rodrigues contributed with an aggressive knock of her own, scoring 31 off her allotted overs before holing out to long-on. Shafali completed her half-century in just 27 balls and continued her assault, hitting back-to-back boundaries off Shashini Gimhani to bring India to the brink of victory.
The partnership between Shafali and Rodrigues left Sri Lanka’s bowlers with little room to operate. Athapaththu and her bowlers struggled to adapt, while India’s batters executed their plans with precision, capitalizing on field restrictions and loose deliveries.
The win reinforced India’s dominance in women’s T20Is over Sri Lanka and highlighted the strength of their spin attack, as well as the batting prowess of Shafali Verma. The series now moves to Thiruvananthapuram for the remaining three matches, with India looking to complete a clean sweep.
Despite her team’s struggles, Athapaththu acknowledged the challenges her batters faced in exploiting favorable conditions. India’s spinners and top-order hitters ensured that Sri Lanka could never establish control, showcasing India’s superior skills and preparation in the ongoing series.
