Under the evening skies of Thiruvananthapuram, the Indian women's cricket team faced a stern examination of their batting depth but emerged triumphant to complete a dominant 5-0 series whitewash against Sri Lanka. India sealed a comprehensive 15-run victory in the final T20I, defending a total of 175 for 7 and handing Sri Lanka their first-ever 5-0 bilateral T20I series defeat.
Harmanpreet's Captain's Knock and Arundhati's Late Fireworks
Put in to bat first, India's innings was a story of resilience and a spectacular finish. With Smriti Mandhana rested and Jemimah Rodrigues unavailable, the batting order had an experimental look. After early wickets, captain Harmanpreet Kaur played a calm yet authoritative innings of 68 runs from just 43 balls, acting as the anchor amidst the turbulence. Her knock, featuring nine fours and a six, ensured the innings didn't unravel.
The true momentum shift, however, came in the death overs. Arundhati Reddy launched a jaw-dropping assault, smashing 27 runs off a mere 11 deliveries, including four boundaries and a six. This late ambush helped India plunder 47 runs from the final three overs, turbocharging the score to a commanding 175 for 7. Amanjot Kaur also contributed a lively 21 runs.
Sri Lanka's Valiant Chase Falls Short Despite Half-Centuries
Sri Lanka's chase of 176 began shakily, losing captain Chamari Athapaththu early to Arundhati Reddy. However, Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani rebuilt the innings with a counter-attacking partnership. Perera raced to her maiden T20I fifty in 37 balls, while Dulani also reached a half-century, sweeping effectively.
At 75 for 1 after 10 overs and 99 for 2 after 13, the visitors were very much in the game. But the Indian bowlers chipped away with timely wickets. Vaishnavi Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, and Sneh Rana kept the pressure on. The crucial moment came when Sree Charani bowled the set Hasini Perera for a well-made 65 off 42 balls. Needing 44 from the last 22 balls, Sri Lanka's challenge fizzled out, ending at 160 for 7.
Deepti Sharma Enters Record Books
The match also witnessed a significant individual milestone. All-rounder Deepti Sharma became the highest wicket-taker in women's T20I history. She achieved the feat by trapping Sri Lanka's Nilakshika Silva lbw for 3 in the 14th over of the chase, claiming her 136th wicket in the format.
The series win was built on a complete team performance, with different players stepping up across the five matches. While Sri Lanka will rue missed opportunities, including underutilizing their most economical bowler Kavisha Dilhari (2/11 in 2 overs), India's clinical finish with both bat and ball underscored their growing dominance in the format.
