India Women completed a commanding 5-0 series whitewash against Sri Lanka, securing a 15-run victory in the fifth T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. The emphatic win, built on captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s stellar knock and a collective bowling effort, marks India’s third-ever 5–0 bilateral T20I clean sweep.www.telecomasia.net
The triumph was particularly notable as India rested key players like Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, testing their bench strength after already clinching the series 4-0.www.telecomasia.net
Kaur Rises from the Ruins
Choosing to bat first, India found themselves in deep trouble at 77/5 by the 11th over, with debutant Gunalan Kamalini and other top-order batters failing to build a foundation. From the crisis emerged captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who played a decisive and majestic innings of 68 off just 43 balls.
She first steadied the innings with a 61-run partnership with Amanjot Kaur (21) before unleashing a flurry of boundaries, nine fours and a six, to propel her team. A blistering, unbeaten 27 off 11 balls from Arundhati Reddy later helped India post a challenging 175/7.
Bowlers Hold Nerve Despite Lankan Fightback
In response, Sri Lanka’s chase was derailed early when Arundhati Reddy removed the dangerous captain Chamari Athapaththu for just 2. However, half-centuries from Hasini Perera (65 off 42) and Imesha Dulani (50 off 39) kept the visitors in the hunt.
The match turned decisively in India’s favor as the Sri Lankan middle order faltered after Perera’s dismissal in the 17th over, managing only 39 runs in the final four overs to finish at 160/7.
The Indian bowling was a disciplined team effort, with six bowlers taking at least one wicket. The highlight was Deepti Sharma, who became the leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20I history with her dismissal of Nilakshi de Silva.
Setting the Bar High for a Big Year
Reflecting on a highly successful 2025, Captain Kaur emphasized the team’s focus on continuous improvement with an eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu acknowledged her team’s shortcomings. “We are not playing our best cricket,” she admitted. “We have to think a lot before the T20 World Cup.”
Brief Scores: India Women: 175/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Arundhati Reddy 27; Kavisha Dilhari 2-11) beat Sri Lanka Women: 160/7 in 20 overs (Hasini Perera 65, Imesha Dulani 50; Deepti Sharma 1-28) by 15 runs.
