India Women vs Sri Lanka Women: Shafali Verma Powers India After Disciplined Bowling Display
India is in a commanding position in the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka at Visakhapatnam. After a clinical performance with the ball that restricted the visitors to a modest total, the Indian openers have set a frantic pace in the Powerplay to put the hosts on course for a series-clinching victory.
The First Innings: Spinners Strangle Sri Lanka
After Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bowl, the Indian bowling unit—despite the absence of the ill Deepti Sharma—put on a masterclass in restrictive spin bowling.
- Athapaththu’s Brief Resistance: Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu looked dangerous early on, threatening to take the game away. however, her dismissal by Sneh Rana towards the end of the Powerplay shifted the momentum entirely.
- The Sneh Rana Factor: Coming into the side for Deepti Sharma, Rana was the pick of the bowlers for her discipline, finishing with exceptional figures of 1/11 in 4 overs.
- Wickets in Bunches: Youngsters Vaishnavi Sharma and Sree Charani capitalized on the pressure, picking up two wickets apiece. Sri Lanka’s innings was further derailed by poor calling between the wickets, resulting in three run outs for the second game in a row.
Sri Lanka eventually labored to 128/9 in 20 overs, a score that appeared sub-par on a batting-friendly Visakhapatnam track.
The Run-Chase: Shafali Verma Takes Charge
India’s pursuit of 129 started with a minor hiccup but quickly turned into a display of batting pyrotechnics.
- Early Blow: India lost star opener Smriti Mandhana cheaply, providing Sri Lanka with a glimmer of hope.
- Shafali’s Onslaught: Shafali Verma showed no signs of caution, taking the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers from the first over. Her aggressive stroke play ensured India stayed well ahead of the required run rate.
- Solid Support: Joined by Jemimah Rodrigues—the hero of the first T20I—the duo exploited the field restrictions to propel India to 68/1 after just 6 overs.
Match Summary at a Glance
| Category | Details |
| SL-W Score | 128/9 (20 overs) |
| Top Scorer (SL) | Chamari Athapaththu |
| Best Bowler (IND) | Sneh Rana (1/11), Vaishnavi Sharma (2 wkts) |
| IND-W Score | 68/1 (6 overs) |
| Target | 129 |
| Current Status | India needs 61 runs to win with 9 wickets in hand. |
Looking Ahead
With the current run rate hovering over 11 runs per over, India looks set to wrap this match up well before the 20th over, much like their 14.4-over finish in the first game. A win here would secure the series for the Women in Blue, continuing their dominant run over their neighbors.
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