Dynamic Duo: Shafali and Smriti Lead India to Dominant Victory in 4th T20I

In the fourth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, Chamari Athapaththu finally won the toss and opted to field, sending India to bat. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma seized the opportunity and delivered an outstanding performance.

Smriti (80 off 48 balls, including 11 fours and 3 sixes) and Shafali (79 off 46 balls, with 12 fours and 1 six) demonstrated once more why they are one of the most formidable batting pairs in women’s cricket. They established a record partnership of 162 runs for any wicket for India in this format, with Richa Ghosh later closing out the innings with a powerful cameo.

Batting first for the first time in this series, India posted a record-breaking total of 221 for two in the fourth T20I—their highest-ever score in the format.

Although it was a challenging target for Sri Lanka, Hasini Perera (33 off 20 balls) and Chamari (52 off 37 balls) gave a solid start, adding 59 runs for the first wicket during the PowerPlay. However, the momentum couldn’t be maintained, and India won by 30 runs, securing a 4-0 lead in the series.

The writing was on the wall early for Sri Lanka when Smriti sent Malsha Shehani’s opening delivery to the leg-side boundary. While Smriti showcased her well-known off-side skills later in the innings, Shafali exhibited a masterclass in controlled aggression from the start.

Coming into this match with consecutive unbeaten fifties, Shafali’s confident stroke play continued seamlessly. She reached her third consecutive fifty with a six over long-off against Nimasha Meepage.

Following Shafali’s dismissal, caught and bowled by Nimasha, Richa Ghosh (40 not out off 16 balls) stepped up with aggressive batting, particularly targeting Kavisha Dilhari in the penultimate over, scoring 20 runs (6, 6, 4, 6).

Smriti had already returned to the pavilion, having scored her 10,000th international run—making her only the fourth woman to achieve this milestone—before edging a sweep off Malsha to square-leg.

Published on December 28, 2025.