After Vaishnavi Sharma and N Shree Charani choked Sri Lanka with spin, Shafali made light work of the 129-run chase as India sealed a comprehensive victory

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India continued their commanding run in women’s T20Is against Sri Lanka with another emphatic win, underlining the gulf between the two sides. For the second game in a row, India’s spinners dismantled Sri Lanka’s batting before a clinical top-order performance ensured a stress-free chase. The hosts never looked under pressure as they swept Sri Lanka aside to go 2-0 up in the series at the end of the Visakhapatnam leg.

Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka were rocked early when Vishmi Gunaratne fell in the opening over. Captain Chamari Athapaththu attempted to counterattack, leading from the front with an aggressive 31 off 24 balls during the powerplay. She used her feet effectively and targeted the fielding restrictions, accounting for the bulk of Sri Lanka’s early runs. However, once Athapaththu was dismissed, the momentum shifted decisively in India’s favour.

With Deepti Sharma sidelined due to a mild fever, Sneh Rana stepped in seamlessly, providing control through the middle overs. Rana removed Athapaththu with clever use of flight and dip before bowling a crucial maiden that tightened the screws. Left-arm spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and N Shree Charani complemented her perfectly, picking up two wickets each as Sri Lanka’s scoring dried up.

After a brisk start that included 11 boundaries in the first nine overs, Sri Lanka managed just two fours for the remainder of the innings. They collapsed dramatically, losing six wickets for 24 runs, and were further hurt by three run-outs for the second consecutive match. The innings ended at a below-par 128, a total that never looked enough on a good batting surface.

India’s chase was headlined by Shafali Verma, who made amends for her failure in the opening match with a blistering unbeaten 69 off just 34 balls. She initially allowed Smriti Mandhana to set the tempo before taking charge once Mandhana departed. Shafali dismantled Sri Lanka’s spin attack with fearless strokeplay, targeting Inoka Ranaweera and Chamari Athapaththu with a mix of sweeps, lofted drives and straight hits.

Partnered by the in-form Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali ensured there was no respite for Sri Lanka’s bowlers. Rodrigues also chipped in with a brisk cameo before falling in an attempt to maintain the high scoring rate. Shafali brought up her half-century in just 27 balls and continued to dominate, taking India to the target at a run-rate close to 11 an over.

India reached the 129-run target with 49 balls to spare, sealing another one-sided contest. The result handed India a 2-0 lead in the series, with the remaining three matches set to be played in Thiruvananthapuram. As Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu admitted after the game, her side failed to make use of the helpful conditions once again, while India continued to showcase their depth and dominance in the shortest format.