India-W romp over Sri Lanka-W to clinch tri-nation series

After an excellent all-round show, Team India emerged triumphant in the recently-concluded women’s -series at the expense of the hosts, Sri Lanka. Smriti Mandhana’s tip-of-the-spear with the bat laid the foundation for India while crucial cameos in the middle-order saw the visitors totting up a massive total.

Winning the toss, India opted to bat first. Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana were off to a flyer to provide the all-important foundation for a grandstand flourish. Rawal (30) and Mandhana (116) were ruthless in their quest of fours and sixes as India took off in style.

An incoming Harleen Deol (47) played a steady knock to motor alongside Mandhana while Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the ship after a couple of quick wickets for India. The second-wicket partnership of 120 runs allowed India to push beyond the 300-run mark. Jemimah Rodrigues (44), Harmanpreet (41) and Deepti Sharma (20*) played important roles in getting India to 342/7.

Sri Lanka needed a jumpstart but India dampened their spirits in the first over itself with the prized scalp of Hasini Perera, who was sent packing for a bronze duck by Amanjot Kaur. Vishmi Gunaratne (36) and Chamari Athapaththu (51) chimed in with the rebuild before threatening to run away with the game. However, the 68-run partnership for the second wicket was finally broken when Amanjot Kaur struck her second to get the better of Vishmi.

RCB all-rounder Sneh Rana stepped up big time to bolster India’s stranglehold over the game. She started her fabulous outing with the ball with the precious wicket of Chamari, breaching through her defences. Despite the departure of their captain, Sri Lanka waged resistance through Nilakshi de Silva (48) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (26).

Amanjot Kaur got rid of Harshitha to break the partnership while N Charani left an incoming Dewmi Vihanga (4) rattled. Sneh Rana struck again and it was the big wicket of Nilakshi as India started to disseminate their vise over the game. Rana claimed a couple of more wickets in the form of Anushka Sanjeewani (28) and Malki Madara (0) to notch up excellent numbers of 4/38.

India bundled out Sri Lanka for 245 in the grand finale, securing a victory by 97 runs. Smriti Mandhana won the Player of the Match award for her incredible century and Sneh Rana bagged the Player of the Series award for her 15 wickets in the series.