India Aims for Clean Sweep in Women’s T20 Showdown Against Sri Lanka

The Gulf of Mannar, which lies between India and Sri Lanka, seems insignificant compared to the current disparity between the women’s cricket teams of these two nations. This gap has been increasingly evident in the five-match T20I series.

The Indian team, known as the Women in Blue, already secured the series with an eight-wicket victory in the third T20I held at Greenfield Stadium on Friday. However, two more matches are still to be played, with the fourth set for Sunday.

Throughout the series, which began in the picturesque coastal town of Visakhapatnam, a pattern has emerged: Harmanpreet Kaur wins the toss against Chamari Athapaththu, contemplates the decision, and opts for Sri Lanka to bat first. The visiting team struggles to gain momentum, posting scores around 120, which India comfortably surpasses with ample overs remaining.

Chamari, undoubtedly her team’s leading batter, would undoubtedly relish the chance to win the toss and possibly change the strategy, letting India bat first. Fans of the Women in Blue might welcome the opportunity to see the full batting display of stars like Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Richa Ghosh, along with contributions from Amanjot Kaur or Deepti Sharma.

Deepti Sharma hasn’t been required to bat in the matches she’s played, her last memorable performance being a pivotal run-a-ball 58 against South Africa in the ODI World Cup final, complemented by her five-wicket haul establishing her as India’s premier women’s cricket all-rounder. She also stands on the brink of becoming the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.

Despite Deepti’s prowess, it was Renuka Singh who shone with the ball on Friday, marking her return to the Indian T20I squad after a year. Her ability to swing the ball demonstrated her key role in the predominantly young bowling lineup.

The Sri Lankan batters must find ways to tackle the diverse Indian bowling attack more effectively. Their captain is due for a significant innings and is known for her immense hitting power. Though Hasini Perera showed brief promise in the last match and there were commendable efforts from Imesha Dulani and Kavisha Dilhari, Sri Lanka will need a more robust performance against a dominant Indian side.

SQUADS

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma.

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika De Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Nimesha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara.

Published on December 27, 2025.