India Dominates Sri Lanka to Strengthen Semi-final Prospects in Women’s T20 World Cup

The Indian women’s cricket team delivered a commanding performance against Sri Lanka in their Women’s T20 World Cup Group A match in Dubai. India triumphed by 82 runs, enhancing their chances of reaching the semi-finals while eliminating Sri Lanka from the tournament.

India, after opting to bat, set an imposing total of 172 for three, the highest team score of the tournament thus far. Key contributions came from opener Smriti Mandhana, who scored a composed 50 off 38 balls, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who smashed an unbeaten 52 off just 27 deliveries.

Kaur received a lifeline when she was dropped on 22, a costly error for Sri Lanka as she capitalized by punishing their bowlers with a string of boundaries. The partnership between Mandhana and Shafali Verma was foundational, with Verma chipping in with 43 runs in an opening stand of 98 before departing.

The Sri Lankan innings faltered early in their chase, with the team reeling at six for three. The experienced Chamari Athapaththu was dismissed for just one run, leaving the lower order to face an uphill battle. They were bowled out for 90 runs, with noteworthy bowling performances from Asha Sobhana and Arundhati Reddy, both taking three wickets for 19 runs each.

India now moves to second place in their group, bolstered by an improved net run-rate, ahead of a crucial clash with defending champions Australia. A win against Australia could secure their place in the semi-finals, whereas a loss would complicate their path, dependent on other results in the group.

Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, acknowledged the team’s struggles by stating, “We were struggling and dropped a few catches. The batters did not do the job, including myself.” In contrast, Indian captain and player of the match, Harmanpreet Kaur, remarked, “It was one of the days when I was in my zone and I just wanted to be there for the team.”

India’s victory not only reaffirms their offensive strength but also addresses concerns regarding their batting adaptability on different pitches, which had surfaced following previous matches in the tournament.