India Women vs Sri Lanka Women: India Women started their T20 World Cup 2026 prep as they defeated Sri Lanka Women by eight wickets in the first T20 international at Visakhapatnam. After a 50-day gap since winning the ODI World Cup, the hosts looked anything but prepared as they sealed an eight-wicket victory over the visitors with 32 balls still in hand.
Sri Lanka’s Below-Par Total on a Dewy Evening
Winning the toss, Harmanpreet Kaur, the India captain, chose to chase. This was a very astute move, as the dew was expected to increase as the night wore on, and chasing was indeed
The Sri Lanka women scored only 121 runs, enough to post 6, which was below par given the conducive conditions for chasing. The Indian bowlers, led by their spinners, applied pressure on the Sri Lanka batswomen to restrict them from scoring at a higher pace despite spending time at the crease.
Kranti Gaud Dazzles on the Ball
India went in with three seamers, handing young pacer Kranti Gaud the responsibility of leading the attack. She delivered an early breakthrough by dismissing Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu, claiming her maiden T20I wicket with a clever change of angle and movement back into the batter.
However, with a first-class out of the way, Indian spinners took over and choked the run rate considerably. Though a few drop catches were spilled, eventually, 30 runs were conceded during the death overs, so a competitive score was never threatened by Sri Lanka.
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Dropped Chances Don’t Hurt India
Although the lapses in fielding did provide some lifelines to Sri Lanka, they could not cash in on those opportunities. Vaishnavi Sharma, who marked her debut with a spell, was very economical with the ball, and although they missed some chances while dismissing N Shree Charani and Smriti Mandhana, the Indian bowling effort was quite disciplined.
Jemimah Rodrigues Anchors the Chase
They had a brief test as they chased 122 when Shafali Verma got out early. Then, Jemimah Rodrigues held them together to prevent any bumps in their performance.
Playing her 100th T20I, Rodrigues gave a polished performance of 69 not out in 44 balls, marking her 14th half-century in international T20 matches. Her inning has now cemented her position at slot number 3 in the batting order.
Mandhana’s Achievement and Strong Partnerships
Rodrigues received excellent support from Smriti Mandhana, who, despite an unusual start, managed to breach the 4000 T20I mark, making her only the second woman to achieve this feat after her fellow Indian, Harmanpreet Kaur.
The duo scored 54 runs, which laid the foundation for a easy chase. Rodrigues then formed an unbeaten partnership of 55 runs with Harmanpreet Kaur.
Key Highlights of IND vs SL 1st T20 International
- Jemimah Rodrigues proved to be the best performer
- Indian spinners dominated the mid overs
- Sri Lanka Women must work on batting rate and fielding precision
What’s Next in India Women vs Sri Lanka Women Series
With this victory, the India Women team leads the series 1-0 in T20Is. Sri Lanka Women, however, have to shift gears instantly, as the second T20 International is scheduled to take place on the same grounds on Tuesday.
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