India outclass Sri Lanka by 30 runs to seal 4-0 lead in women’s T20I series

India delivered a strong all-round performance to beat Sri Lanka by 30 runs in the fourth women's T20I on Sunday, taking a 4-0 lead in the five-match series.

India delivered a strong all-round performance to beat Sri Lanka by 30 runs in the fourth women’s T20I on Sunday, taking a 4-0 lead in the five-match series. Smriti Mandhana (80) and Shafali Verma (79) put on a record partnership, while spinner Vaishnavi Sharma picked up 2 wickets for 24 runs to seal the win.

Mandhana and Shafali laid the foundation for India’s highest-ever women’s T20I score of 221 for 2. Their 162-run stand is now India’s best partnership for any wicket in women’s T20Is. Vaishnavi then bowled an excellent spell of 4 overs, conceding just 24 runs and taking two key wickets to keep Sri Lanka under pressure.

Chasing a huge target of 222, Sri Lanka started aggressively. Hasini Perera scored 33 from 20 balls, while captain Chamari Athapaththu made 52 off 37 deliveries. However, the required run rate kept rising, and Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly near the end, finishing on 191 for 6.

Perera hit several boundaries early, and Athapaththu once again showed her attacking skills, but the target proved too big. Vaishnavi bowled tightly, delivering nine dot balls and dismissing Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama. Arundhati Reddy also played her part, taking two wickets including Perera and Kavisha Dilhari.

Earlier, India were asked to bat first and Mandhana and Shafali dominated the Sri Lankan bowlers at the Greenfield International Stadium. Richa Ghosh added quick runs at the end with an unbeaten 40 from 16 balls, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur chipped in with 16 not out, pushing India past 220.

The opening pair’s 162-run stand came in just 15.2 overs and marked the fourth time Mandhana and Shafali have crossed 100 together, breaking their own previous record of 143 set in 2019. Mandhana also reached a major milestone, becoming only the fourth woman to score 10,000 international runs.

Shafali continued her fine form with a third straight half-century in the series but fell short of a maiden T20I hundred, getting out for 79 off 46 balls. Both openers played with control and power, finding gaps and hitting clean shots all around the ground.

After Mandhana and Shafali were dismissed, Richa Ghosh took charge, smashing four fours and three sixes. She added an unbeaten 53-run stand with Harmanpreet as India crossed the 200-run mark comfortably.

The fifth and final T20I of the series will be played at the same venue on December 30.