India 183 for 5 (Shafali 68, Mandhana 59, Ayodhya 1-33) beat Sri Lanka 111 all out (Athapaththu 36, Charani 4-20, Deepti 3-19) by 72 runs
The Shafali-Smriti show
Shafali set the tone after captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat after winning the toss. When Sri Lanka introduced spin in the second over, both openers immediately attacked, picking up two boundaries. But Shafali combined power with placement in the third over, first using the pace on a short ball from outside off to guide it past short third, before clipping a length delivery through midwicket to make it back-to-back fours.
Athapaththu brought herself on in the fifth over but that brought little respite. Shafali got underneath a tossed-up delivery and launched it straight back over the bowler’s head before sending another ball in the slot over long-on. India raced to 57 without loss at the end of the powerplay.
The boundary-hitting continued after the powerplay too, with Shafali finding the ropes regularly on her way to a 24-ball fifty, the fastest half-century in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. Mandhana, who had initially scored at around a run a ball, then joined in on the fun as she lofted a flighted delivery from Chamudi Praboda over long-on before bringing up her own half-century, off 36 balls, with a cut through the offside. India reached 98 without loss at the end of ten overs.
Sri Lanka hit back… somewhat
With India looking well on track for a 200-plus total, Sri Lanka finally made inroads in the 13th over when Praboda broke through, having Shafali mistime a shot to cover. India suffered another setback in the following over when Mandhana was run out for the third time in the tournament. Harmanpreet, coming in at No. 3, struck Athapaththu’s delivery straight to point and immediately set off for a single, but she hesitated midway before continuing, leaving Mandhana stranded as the throw came in. The mix-up ended Mandhana’s innings on 59, with Sri Lanka sending back both well-set openers in a space of six balls.
Sri Lanka could have had Richa Ghosh soon after but Kavisha Dilhari could not hold on to a difficult running catch. Ghosh had mistimed a slog sweep towards deep backward square leg, with Dilhari racing in and diving forward, only for the ball to slip from her hands as she hit the ground. Ghosh could not make the most of the reprieve as she scored 15 off 13 before picking out cover.
Sri Lanka did a better job at the death, restricting India and picking up the wickets of Harmanpreet and Deepti in successive deliveries in the 19th over. That brought G Kamalini, playing her first match in this Asia Cup and just her second T20I, to the crease and she managed a four and a six off the last two balls to take India to 183 for 5.
A frustrating start for Sri Lanka
A chase of 184 was never going to be easy, but Imesha Dulani started the proceedings positively, shuffling across to a full delivery from Kranti Gaud and paddling it past short fine leg for four. But a similar attempt brought an end to her innings in the fourth ball of the over, with Dulani attempting a scoop only to miss the ball completely and watch it crash into the top of leg stump.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had suffered a setback when Vishmi Gunaratne appeared to roll her ankle while returning the ball and was carried off the field on a stretcher. She, however, came out to bat at No. 3, attempting to rebuild alongside Athapaththu. But fast bowlers Gaud and Nandani Sharma left the duo frustrated, with Athapaththu enduring a testing over from Gaud, getting off the mark only on the eighth delivery she faced.
She then showed off some of her big hitting, taking on Shafali for a six and a four, but despite the boundaries, she was only going at a run-a-ball at the end of the powerplay. Any hopes of Sri Lanka coming close to chasing the total ended with her dismissal in the tenth over.
Anticipating Athapaththu would look to attack, Deepti shortened her length, making her charge down the pitch. But the ball turned away sharply, beating Athapaththu’s attempted shot, and Ghosh completed a straightforward stumping, dismissing the Sri Lanka captain for 36. Deepti struck once more in the over, having Gunaratne bowled, leaving Sri Lanka needing 121 off the last ten.
India’s spinners take over
As has been the case throughout the tournament, India’s spinners showed their prowess, never letting Sri Lanka even have a sniff at the game thereon. Wickets fell regularly, with Charani removing Harshitha Samarawickrama, the hero of the 2024 Asia Cup with a sharp return catch for 9.
Charani then picked up two wickets in the over. Kavisha Dilhari fell first, slicing a thick outside edge towards short third, following which Nilakshika Silva, who was playing with a broken finger, top-edged a shot towards deep square leg.
India were sloppy in the field, dropping five catches but it was too late for Sri Lanka to capitalise on the chances. Deepti finished with three wickets and Charani with four, finishing as the tournament’s top two wicket-takers, as India bowled Sri Lanka out for 111 on the last ball of the innings.
Sruthi Ravindranath is a sub-editor at Cricinfo
