NEW DELHI: Shafali Verma blazed an unbeaten 69 as India cruised to a seven wicket win over Sri Lanka in the second Women’s T20 International here on Tuesday, making light work of a modest chase.
India now lead the five match series 2-0 after another dominant showing, having earlier bundled Sri Lanka out for a below par 128 for 9 through a disciplined bowling effort led by the spin trio of Sneh Rana, Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani.
Shafali sets the tone in the chase
During the run chase, vice captain Smriti Mandhana (14) departed early, but Shafali, brimming with confidence after her World Cup final heroics, tore into the Sri Lankan attack. Her 69 came off just 34 balls as India wrapped up the contest inside 11.5 overs.
4⃣,6⃣,4⃣
🎥 Shafali Verma’s power on full display in the chase motiv
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/Umn9ZGAexw#TeamIndia , #INDvSL , @TheShafaliVerma , @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/7RkmQlWX8B
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) December 23, 2025
The hosts have now completed back to back chases within 15 overs, underlining the confidence and clarity in the batting unit.
Shafali’s knock was studded with 11 boundaries and a six, showcasing her ability to dominate spin from the outset.
The assault began when left arm spinner Inoka Ranaweera offered flight, allowing Shafali to repeatedly step out and loft her cleanly over extra cover. Her footwork against spin stood out as she mixed stepping out with rocking back to punch and pull with ease.
Sensing the momentum, newly appointed Delhi Capitals skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls) joined the party as the pair added 58 runs in just 4.3 overs.
By the time Rodrigues fell while attempting another big hit, the contest was effectively over. Shafali reached her half century off only 27 balls and quickly sealed the win.
Spin trio strangle Sri Lanka
Earlier, off spinner Rana, drafted in after Deepti Sharma was ruled out with fever, kept the Lankan batters on a tight leash. She returned figures of 1 for 11 from four overs, including a maiden, a rarity in T20 cricket.
Charani, who impressed during India’s ODI World Cup triumph, chipped in with 2 for 23, while Vaishnavi followed up her impressive debut with 2 for 32, ensuring Sri Lanka never found momentum in the middle overs.
The last six wickets fell for just 24 runs, but India’s sharpness in the field was equally impressive. After a sloppy outing in the previous match, the hosts showed marked improvement with three run outs highlighting the renewed intensity.
Athapaththu’s resistance cut short
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu (31 off 24 balls) looked in good touch early, taking on seamers Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy with a couple of clean hits over the ropes. However, Rana kept her quiet by sticking to a probing good length.
Struggling to rotate strike as boundaries dried up, Athapaththu attempted a lofted shot off a slightly shortened delivery from Rana, only to find Amanjot Kaur at long off.
That dismissal came after Vishmi Gunaratne (1) had earlier offered a simple return catch to Gaud.
Hasini Perera (22 off 28 balls) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (33 off 32 balls) added 44 runs, but the partnership never gained the tempo required against India’s spin attack.
Once Hasini handed Charani a straightforward return catch off a full toss, Sri Lanka collapsed rapidly, losing wickets in a heap towards the end.
(With PTI Inputs)
Comments are closed.