The Indian women’s cricket team opened their 2025 T20 series against Sri Lanka with a dominant eight-wicket victory at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, riding on a composed all-round bowling effort and a fluent unbeaten knock from Jemimah Rodrigues, who anchored the chase with confidence and control.
India chased down a modest target of 122 with ease, reaching 122 for 2 in just 14.4 overs to take an early lead in the series. The match not only highlighted India’s growing depth in women’s cricket but also marked a significant personal milestone for Smriti Mandhana, who became only the second woman in history to score 4,000 runs in T20 internationals. The result set the tone for the series, with India appearing well prepared and balanced in all departments.
disciplined bowling restricts Sri Lanka to modest total
After winning the toss, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to field first, a decision that paid immediate dividends as the bowlers maintained tight lines and consistent pressure throughout Sri Lanka’s innings. The visitors looked to start aggressively, with skipper **Chamari Athapaththu** attempting to take charge in the powerplay, but her plans were cut short when she was dismissed in the third over by Kranti Gaud, providing India an early breakthrough.
Sri Lanka’s struggles deepened as Deepti Sharma struck next, removing Hasini Perera, who had briefly survived after being dropped off Vaishnavi Sharma’s bowling. The missed chance did not cost India much, as the bowlers quickly regained control, ensuring that the Lankan batters found it difficult to build partnerships or accelerate the scoring rate.
A notable feature of India’s bowling performance was the composure shown by debutant Vaishnavi Sharma, who impressed with her control and variation in the middle overs. She conceded just 16 runs in her four-over spell, effectively stalling Sri Lanka’s momentum. Alongside her, Deepti Sharma maintained pressure with figures of 1 for 20, forming a disciplined spin combination that forced the batters into risky shots.
Despite the steady fall of wickets, Sri Lanka managed a degree of resistance through Vishmi Gunaratne, who top-scored with 39 off 43 balls, and Harshitha Samarawickrama, who contributed a patient 21. Their efforts helped Sri Lanka reach 121 for 6 at the end of 20 overs, but the total always appeared below par on a good batting surface.
India’s fielding further complemented the bowling display, with sharp movement in the inner ring and disciplined boundary riding ensuring that Sri Lanka were unable to convert singles into frequent boundaries. By the halfway stage of the innings, the visitors were clearly being pushed toward a total that favoured the hosts.
Jemimah and Mandhana anchor chase with record milestone
India’s chase began with a minor setback when opener Shafali Verma was dismissed in the second over, caught in the deep off Kawya Kavindi’s bowling. However, the early wicket did little to disturb India’s calm approach, as Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues came together to stabilise the innings and steadily dismantle Sri Lanka’s bowling attack.
Mandhana played with trademark elegance, timing the ball sweetly and rotating the strike effectively. Her innings carried additional significance when she struck Athapaththu through extra cover to reach the landmark of 4,000 T20I runs, becoming only the second woman to achieve the feat after New Zealand’s Suzie Bates. The moment was a reminder of Mandhana’s consistency and longevity at the top level of women’s cricket.
While Mandhana provided assurance, Jemimah Rodrigues gradually took control of the chase. By the time Inoka Ranaweera dismissed Mandhana for 25 in the ninth over, India were already cruising at 67 for 2, well ahead of the required run rate. The platform was firmly set for a comfortable finish.
Jemimah then shifted gears with remarkable ease, accelerating the scoring without taking undue risks. She brought up her half-century in just 34 balls, her 14th in T20 internationals, showcasing a blend of timing, placement, and controlled aggression. One over in particular, in which she struck Gimhani for four boundaries, underlined her dominance and confidence at the crease.
With Harmanpreet Kaur providing calm support at the other end, Jemimah ensured there were no late stumbles. Drawing on the confidence gained from her standout performances earlier in the year, including a pivotal role in India’s ODI World Cup campaign, she guided the team to victory with more than five overs to spare, finishing unbeaten on 69 off 44 balls.
The emphatic win highlighted India’s depth, balance, and adaptability in the shortest format, while Sri Lanka were left with areas to address ahead of the second match of the series, scheduled at the same venue on Tuesday.
