India Women vs Sri Lanka Women 3rd T20I: Shafali Verma’s superb 79* powers India to 3-0 series lead
IND-W vs SL-W Updates: India restricted Sri Lanka to 112/7. In response, Shafali smashed a 24-ball half century to power India to yet another big win, and a 3-0 series lead.
by Sports Desk · The Indian Express · JoinIndia Women (IND-W) vs Sri Lanka Women (SL-W) 3rd T20I Updates: ) Shafali Verma sparkled with a whirlwind unbeaten 79 to power India to an emphatic eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third Women’s T20 International and help the hosts take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series on Friday. Opting to bowl, pacer Renuka Singh returned with a four-wicket haul on comeback, helping India restrict Sri Lanka to a modest 112 for seven. Shafali then stole the limelight with her power-hitting, remaining unbeaten on 79 off 42 balls to single-handedly take India to the series win.
Earlier, Renuka accounted for four Lankan batters after skipper Harmanpreet invited the visitors to take the first strike, while all-rounder Deepti Sharma dismissed three batters.Deepti had a night to remember, going level with Megan Schutt as the leading wicket-takers in women’s T20Is with 151, while Renuka picked up four wickets after an expensive over to start. Sri Lanka posted 112/7 in 20 overs.
Story continues below this ad
The hosts had bowled first in both games in Visakhapatnam and restricted Sri Lanka to low totals in both games, and had chased them down easily in the second innings. Both the spin and seam departments of the side are looking like a well-oiled machine for the hosts. Going into the third game, they will be hoping to close out the series. In the first match, Jemimah Rodrigues hit a match-winning 69*, and it was the same score for Shafali Verma in the second match. Read more about that here.
TEAM NEWS
Sri Lanka XI: Chamari Athapaththu(c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Imesha Dulani, Kaushani Nuthyangana(w), Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Malki Madara, Nimesha Madushani
India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sree Charani
RECAP OF IND VS SL 3rd T20I LIVE UPDATES
Live Updates
Dec 26, 2025 09:58 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 115/2 after 13.2 overs (Target: 113)
Player of the match: Renuka Singh Thakur
"Very happy. Five is not easy to get, so need to work a bit harder from four to five wickets. Going to NCA helps me a lot before tournaments, working on bowling and fitness. Been working on variations a lot in the last six months or so. Shouldn't be having doubts with those deliveries when I go to Australia and England."
Dec 26, 2025 09:55 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 115/2 after 13.2 overs (Target: 113)
Harmanpreet Kaur; Great series for all of us so far. We need to be aggressive and we need to step up in the format. The highlight has been contribution from bowling department. We are in this position because of our bowlers. Deepti and Renuka are the ones always getting us early breakthroughs. That's why we wanted to go with Renuka, after the first over how she came back is what we are looking for.
Dec 26, 2025 09:52 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 115/2 after 13.2 overs (Target: 113)
SL captain Chamari Athapaththu: We have not played our best cricket throughout. We are playing our batting unit. We are not finding the good way in this format. Imesha and Kaveesha batted really well today, but we have to improve a lot before the World Cup.
Dec 26, 2025 09:39 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 115/2 after 13.2 overs (Target: 113)
Match sealed with a four down the ground.
79 runs off 42 balls, 11 fours and 3 mighty sixes at a strike rate of 188.09.
Just another night for Shafali Verma. And most refreshingly, it's not just been bang-bang big-hitting either. She has shown plenty of assuredness in picking the right areas.
India beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets and 40 balls to spare. Pretty much the same script. 3-0 lead in the 5-match series.
Dec 26, 2025 09:35 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 110/2 after 13 overs (Target: 113)
Won't be registered as a big contribution from Harmanpreet Kaur but it's been good to see better intent from the captain tonight even though the match was all but over after the start Shafali provided. Harman has been busy. A four off Ranaweera at the start of that over.
Dec 26, 2025 09:32 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 101/2 after 12 overs (Target: 113)
Another over, another four for Shafali over. This is actually a good full ball from Shehani, could have yorked most batters and the maximum would have been a single or double. But Shafali gets underneath this and manages to get enough power past two fielders in the deep for four.
100 comes up for India.
Dec 26, 2025 09:29 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 92/2 after 11 overs (Target: 113)
Shafali Verma keeps going on her merr way. On the pads from Inoka Ranaweera, and swept past the two fielders behind square on the leg side for four.
Meanwhile, a milestone for Shafali. (Read out nicely by Mithali herself on air).
Screengrab: JioHotstar
Dec 26, 2025 09:23 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 85/2 after 10 overs (Target: 113)
Shafali, stop that! When she hit that slog sweep off Kaveesha, it looked initially like she got cramped and didn't have enough room to work with it. But her hands come through that shot so swiftly, that the power is enough to carry it over deep midwicket rather easily in the end. Shafali's third six of the night.
Time for drinks as India cruise...
Dec 26, 2025 09:19 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 74/2 after 9 overs (Target: 113)
Harmanpreet has spent some time in the middle in the first two matches without quite looking fluent. But some early intent from the captain tonight as she comes down the pitch and puts away a short ball from Ranaweera for a four through midwicket.
Dec 26, 2025 09:16 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 67/2 after 8 overs (Target: 113)
Well, that was an eventful over. Kaveesha tries her wrist-spin variations for a couple of deliveries, one beats Jemi but the batter puts one away for four later with a nice sweep. But her attempted lofted off drive should have been taken by Chamari at long off but the captain overruns it to her left and gets into a tangle. Kaveesha, however, does have the last laugh. Went around the wicket and bowled off spin, Jemi drags the sweep onto the stumps. A very scratchy innings from Jemi tonight.
Jemimah Rodrigues b Kaveesha Dilhari 9 (15 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 09:11 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 60/1 after 7 overs (Target: 113)
More often than not, India have treated Inoka with respect that her experience deserves. Tidy over from the left-arm spinner. 5 singles.
Dec 26, 2025 09:08 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 55/1 after 6 overs (Target: 113)
Making it look ridiculously easy. 24-ball half-century for Shafali Verma. The other two Indian batters so far: 2 off 13 balls.
She has destroyed the chase single-handedly. It was actually shaping into a good over from Malki, but Shafali nailed another extra cover drive for four.
Dec 26, 2025 09:01 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 46/1 after 5 overs (Target: 113)
HUGE OVER! 19 runs off it and Shafali is on fire once more. Nimasha continues with her left-arm spin. The first ball is actually not well hit by Shafali but uppish punch falls short of the fielder at extra cover and goes for four. Nothing streaky about the 4, 6 and 4 that follow in that over. Another pull shot nailed, then comes down the track and converts one into a full toss and smashes it for a six over long off. Then a lovely extra cover inside-out lofted drive for four.
Dec 26, 2025 08:56 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 27/1 after 4 overs (Target: 113)
Great first over from Kaveesha. There is a huge LBW appeal against Jemimah too, and this time Sri Lanka refer it upstairs. Looked like it pitched outside leg and drifting further outside quite clearly. But the TV umpire says inconclusive whether there was bat or not so tracking not even needed. (Correct decision but strange call)
Dec 26, 2025 08:52 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 27/1 after 3.2 overs (Target: 113)
Smriti Mandhana's struggles in this series continue for now. Kaveesha into the attack and it is the spinner who gets the Indian opener for the second straight match. This time the ball straightens just enough after angling in and Smriti completely misses the attempted sweep. She reviews it but all three reds.
Smriti Mandhana lbw b Kaveesha Dilhari 1 (6 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 08:49 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 26/0 after 3 overs (Target: 113)
Another big over! Chamari goes to Nimasha, the debutant left-arm spinner. A streaky outside edge evades the slip fielder as Shafali gets a double. But nothing streaky about the two fours. Dancing down again to loft one over mid off. Then latches onto a short ball to nail a pull past square leg. There was a brief mix up between her and Smriti in that over but no harm done.
Dec 26, 2025 08:44 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 16/0 after 2 overs (Target: 113)
Tidy start from Malki Madara, the right-arm pacer just conceding two singles in that first over.
Sri Lanka need wickets though, and need them quickly.
Dec 26, 2025 08:42 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: IND 14/0 after 1 overs (Target: 113)
Malsha Shehani has the new ball as SL opt for some off spin to start. Three dot balls to start the innings as Shafali keeps the ball down the ground.
And then she dances down the track to smash a 83m six over long off. Then two fours, one smashed through midwicket and then driven past mid off. Shafali Verma on song again.
Dec 26, 2025 08:28 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 112/7 after 20 overs
Kaushini hits a solitary four in the last over, picking up a slower delivery from Amanjot Kaur and hitting it over mid off.
Sri Lanka once again fall well short of what they would have liked. This is perhaps not as easy a batting wicket as Vizag, so that is there to be taken into consideration. But doesn't feel like they have enough on the board.
Dec 26, 2025 08:24 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 105/7 after 19 overs
No wickets for Vaishnavi today, she concedes 14 in her 3 overs. Again showing good control. A four in her last over, as Kaushini smashes a sweep for four.
Amanjot to bowl the 20th over. Gets her full quota today.
Dec 26, 2025 08:21 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 98/7 after 18 overs
DEEPTI SHARMA JOINS MEGAN SCHUTT!
Joint-leading wicket-taker at the moment in women's T20Is. This comes shortly after she tosses one up and misses a caught & bowled chance. But follows that up with a shorter one that takes the outside edge and hits the top of off.
Malsha Shehani b Sharma 5 (11 balls)
Deepti Sharma finishes with 3/18 in her four overs.
Dec 26, 2025 08:19 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 96/6 after 17 overs
Shehani and Kaushini in the middle now as Sri Lanka have lost the momentum they had built. Story of their series, looks they will finish just above 120 again. Amanjot gets a third over for the night. Concedes just 6.
Dec 26, 2025 08:15 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 90/6 after 16 overs
Started the night with a 12-run over. Finishes the night with a maiden over.
Renuka Singh Thakur: 4/21
Dec 26, 2025 08:13 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 90/6 after 15.2 overs
RENUKA HAS FOUR! Slowed it right down, and the batter throws her hands at that. 75.3kph actually, that's almost as slow as Deepti at times. Jemimah takes the catch.
Can Renuka make it a 5-for? Her best figures are 5/15 in T20Is.
Imesha Dulani c Jemimah Rodrigues b Renuka Singh 27 (32 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 08:11 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 90/5 after 15 overs
Another tidy over from Vaishnavi Sharma. Just 5 runs off it.
Dec 26, 2025 08:11 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 85/5 after 14 overs
The wicket for entering 150-club summed up Deepti too. Dropped the length just a little bit as Kaveesha came down the track. She had to reach a bit more for that slog sweep and Amanjot is there at deep midwicket to complete the job. Great bowling change too, to bring in India's best when a fine partnership was brewing.
Kavisha Dilhari c Amanjot Kaur b Deepti Sharma 20 (13 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 08:08 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: MILESTONE FOR DEEPTI SHARMA!
DEEPTI SHARMA 150!
India's leading wicket-taker in this format goes to the next milestone. Second bowler in women's T20Is to pick up 150 wickets, and she now has Megan Schutt in sights too (151). World No 1 for a reason.
Dec 26, 2025 08:03 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 63/4 after 12 overs
Another good over for Sri Lanka in what is turning out to be a nice little partnership. Kranti comes in for her fourth over and concedes 14 (4-0-22-0 is still not bad though). First up it is Imesha who plays a premeditated scoop over the short fine fielder. The fielder is pushed back, then Kaveesha nails a pick up shot for a risky but well-hit six.
Dec 26, 2025 07:57 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 63/4 after 12 overs
More salt into Charani's wounds, this time directly off her bowling. Lovely use of the feet from Imesha, dancing down the ground and lofting over the bowler's head. Kavisha finishes the over with a lovely extra cover drive for four too. Expensive first over from Charani. That dropped catch by Charani has already cost India a few runs.
Dec 26, 2025 07:53 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 52/4 after 11 overs
UNLUCKY AMANJOT! Sree Charani drops another catch. Her catching definitely needs to improve significantly as we have already seen this series in the first match when she dropped two. This time, Imesha gets a life while on 8 as her inside edge loops to short midwicket and Charani moves to her left, gets both her hands to it but can't hold on. Wry smile for Amanjot who then has salt into her wound as Imesha smashes one over cover for a four.
Dec 26, 2025 07:45 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 45/4 after 9.3 overs
Well what do you know? DRS is working too. We had written during the World Cup recently about India's Indecision Review System. This is one area where India repeatedly make an error – Renuka getting the ball to angle in big time and they misread when the ball goes down the leg side. But today, Richa & Renuka get it right. Harman goes for the review. "Out hai, out hai" is the call when the first replay comes in. And it is indeed out hai.
Nilakshika Silva lbw b Renuka Singh Thakur 4 (9 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 07:41 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 40/3 after 9 overs
Amanjot Kaur said before last match that she is aware that she needs to do better with her bowling performances. A good first over the allrounder, varying her lengths but sticking to the 4th stump channel. Brings out the bouncer that she likes a lot, but it flew a little high. Great gathering from Richa from close to the stumps though.
Dec 26, 2025 07:36 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 36/3 after 8 overs
Just two runs in Kranti Gaud's over as Imesha and Nilakshika go steady.
Amanjot Kaur comes into the attack from the other end.
Dec 26, 2025 07:31 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 34/3 after 7 overs
As Veda Krishnamurthy points out on air, the ball definitely seems to be holding a bit more on the pitch. Not easy to hit through the line and all three SL batters have perhaps paid the price for that only.
A lovely start to the spell from Vaishnavi as well, just two singles off it. Slowing things right down.
Imesha and Nilakshika in the middle now.
Dec 26, 2025 07:28 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 32/3 after 6 overs
RENUKA STRIKES IN ONE OVER! Coming back to bowl the 6th over after an expensive first over, the pacer has more reason to smile. Harshitha hits one tamely back to the bowler and Renuka completes a simple return catch. Another leftie wicket for Renuka from the over the wicket angle.
Harshitha Samarawickrama c & b Renuka Singh Thakur 2 (4 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 07:26 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 31/2 after 5.3 overs
AND RENUKA THAKUR STRIKES TOO! Brought back into the side, brought back into the attack, and she finds a breakthrough as well. Hasini was looking in great touch but throws her bat at one outside off and finds Deepti at short third. Vaishnavi had a chance to take the catch in the first ball of the over, the personnel move pays off quickly.
Hasini Perera c Deepti Sharma b Renuka Singh 25 (18 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 07:23 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 27/1 after 5 overs
Deepti Sharma is such a clever operator. Slows it up to 70.7kph and shortens her length just a tad bit, knowing Chamari Athapaththu was probably going to look for a release shot. And deceives the Sri Lankan captain just like that. The wider line also led to Chamari's downfall. She just never got going today.
Chamari Athapaththu c Harmanpreet Kaur b Deepti Sharma 3 (12 balls)
Dec 26, 2025 07:17 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 25/0 after 4 overs
Well, well. What do you know? Chamari is struggling for rhythm but Hasini is making this a very solid start for Sri Lanka. Three dot balls from Kranti to Chamari to start the over. Hasini then finishes the over very well with a scoop over the keeper's head.
Dec 26, 2025 07:14 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 20/0 after 3 overs
Hasini has made a good stat here, one that should take the pressure off Chamari. She moves to 16 off 10 balls at a strike rate of 160 with a four off the second ball in Deepti's over. A well-placed sweep over square leg. But Deepti comes back well in that over, just two more singles.
Dec 26, 2025 07:09 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 14/0 after 2 overs
Solid start from Kranti. She started over the wicket in the first T20I to Chamari and then struck when she switched angles. Since then she has preferred coming around the wicket to the left-handers. With both lefties here, it is no surprise to see her stick to that. Just two singles in that over, plays and misses from the SL openers.
Just one over for Renuka then. Deepti comes into the attack right away.
Dec 26, 2025 07:05 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: SL 12/0 after 1 over
And it is Sri Lanka who make the aggressive start. Two boundaries for Hasini Perera through the offside. Earlier in the over, more of a square cut, and off the last ball, a proper cover drive, either side of Kranti Gaud in the deep. Rustiness from Renuka.
Dec 26, 2025 07:02 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Here we go then
Renuka Singh Thakur has the ball in hand. Early movement to look forward to. Hasini Perera is opening in place of Vishmi Gunaratne, with Chamari at the non-striker's end.
Dec 26, 2025 06:59 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Time for action
Sri Lanka batters make their way to the middle. Doesn't seem like a big turnout at the venue so far. India with the huddle.
Dec 26, 2025 06:55 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Spin to win
A lovely illustration of India's three spinners varying their speeds in the second T20I
Screengrab: JioHotstar
Dec 26, 2025 06:53 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: TEAMS
Confirmation of the playing XIs once more
Sri Lanka XI: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Imesha Dulani, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Malki Madara, Nimesha Madushani
India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sree Charani
Dec 26, 2025 06:49 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Renuka back
As Veda Krishnamurthy points out on JioHotstar, Renuka's presence in the XI today is interesting because the T20 World Cup is in England, a country where she enjoys a great T20 record. Her form and fitness is going to be key for India in that marquee tournament.
Dec 26, 2025 06:39 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Sri Lanka XI
The mystery of Gimhani didn't quite work out in Vizag and the spinner misses out. Kawya, the seamer, also left out. Surprisingly, Vishmi also has been left out. Imesha Dulani, Nimesha Madushani and Malsha Shehani are the new players in to the XI.
Screengrab: JioHotstar
Dec 26, 2025 06:36 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Confirmation of team news
Three changes for Sri Lanka. Chamari couldn't quite remember all of them, so confirmation shortly.
Dec 26, 2025 06:34 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Confirmation of team news
We wanted to be more aggressive in the (bowling) powerplay, says Harmanpreet Kaur about Renuka Thakur coming in for the first time this series. Unfortunate for Sneh Rana though, who did really well in Deepti's place.
Dec 26, 2025 06:33 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: HARMANPREET KAUR WINS TOSS AGAIN
Well, well, well. What do you know? Three straight tosses won by Harmanpreet Kaur! She opts to bowl first. Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh Thakur come in for India, Sneh Rana and Arundhati Reddy rested says Harmanpreet Kaur.
Screengrab: JioHotstar
Dec 26, 2025 06:30 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: TOSS COMING UP
Surely Harmanpreet Kaur can't win three tosses in a row? She joked last time, winning tosses is not her cup of tea.
Chamari Athapaththu would love to get it right though.
Dec 26, 2025 06:25 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Trying out a few things...
A well-settled India are trying out a few new things in the ongoing five-match T20I series against visiting Sri Lanka keeping in mind next year's ICC Women's T20 World Cup in the UK, said head coach Amol Muzumdar here on Thursday. Reigning ODI world champions India have already taken a 2-0 lead and are hoping to seal the series here on Friday in the third game. India had won the first two T20Is by eight and seven wickets respectively in Visakhapatnam. "We tried to be as settled as possible during the ODI World Cup as well.
Six months down the line there is a T20 World Cup and we are very well aware of certain things, what we need to do and in what direction we want to take this T20 side," Muzumdar said on the eve of the game. "Trying out a lot of stuff, making sure that we are well and truly settled before the World Cup." Muzumdar said India are a progressive side, which is constantly looking to improve in all departments of the game. "We consistently talk about improving in all the three facets of the game. In fact, there is a fourth one now, which is fitness. Nothing in particular about one facet of the game. "We are a progressive side, constantly we are trying to improve day by day," he said.
(Via PTI)
Dec 26, 2025 06:12 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Jemimah Rodrigues masterclass...
Sri Lanka pacer Malki Madara thought it was a close call for caught behind when she bowled a 104.6kph delivery at a good length just outside the off stump, but Jemimah executed the perfect late cut – a shot she plays so well – for her first boundary of the innings. It set the tone for what was to follow from the Mumbaikar. In the post-match interview, when she was told maybe Sri Lanka should consider putting three-four fielders in that region, she joked: “I will still find the gap.” That’s the sort of zone she was in.
Read more about her knock in the first T20I here.
Dec 26, 2025 06:05 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Jemimah Rodrigues masterclass...
On a night when Sri Lanka batters combined to hit nine fours, Jemimah Rodrigues, by herself, hit 10 during a sublime, unbeaten knock of 69 that guided India to a comfortable eight-wicket win in the first T20I at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. The victory — the team’s first game since the 50-over World Cup final win in November — was effectively set up by a collective bowling display that restricted Chamari Athapaththu’s side to just 121/6. But the headlines will rightly belong to Jemimah for the class of her innings, with her offside strokeplay being a standout feature.
Read more about her knock in the first T20I here.
Dec 26, 2025 05:49 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Speaking of Sneh Rana....
Harmanpreet Kaur won her second consecutive toss and opted to field again. Kranti Gaud vindicated her captain’s decision by dismissing Vishmi Gunaratne in the first over. Athapaththu tried to inject some momentum into the innings with some big strikes, but Sneh Rana – playing in place of the unwell Deepti Sharma – showed her class soon. She dismissed the dangerous-looking southpaw with a dipping ball that forced a mistimed shot, which fell into Amanjot Kaur’s hands at long-off for 31. The dismissal would set the tone for the rest of the innings. Sensing the slow nature of the pitch, Harmanpreet rotated her spinners efficiently, and the bowlers responded splendidly, mixing their pace and lengths to make batting difficult for the Sri Lankans.
Shankar Narayan
Dec 26, 2025 05:40 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: DEEPTI FIT
Deepti Sharma took a sick day for the first time in forever, the ever present fixture in the Indian team. Sneh Rana, however, came in and bowled superbly in her place. So that's a tricky call awaiting India.
Head coach Muzumdar also confirmed that Deepti Sharma is fit and available after missing the second match due to illness. Jemimah Rodrigues, however, missed the pre-match training due to "little bit of an issue but I think she's fine. She's just resting today." The decision to leave Renuka Singh Thakur in the first two matches, however, is tactical. "We were looking at a different combination. Also trying out a few things and she's an integral part of this team as you've known in the last two years," he said of the pacer.
Dec 26, 2025 05:26 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Vaishnavi makes her mark
Highly-rated left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma (20), who was India's top wicket-taker at the U19 World Cup and led the wickets chart in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, surprisingly failed to attract any bids in the WPL mega auction. However, head coach Amol Muzumdar announced that her consistent performance has earned her an immediate international debut against Sri Lanka as a recognition of her domestic form.
"I think she responded really well," Muzumdar said in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the third T20I. "Credit to her that she comes from under-19. And I would like to stress that domestic performance was rewarded by the selectors. So real credit to them."
Vaishnavi impressed with her economical bowling in the first match in Visakhapatnam though she was unlucky not to pick up a wicket. In the second match, after being targetted in her first over, she bounced back impressively to pick up two wickets. "I think in the last two games what we have seen, it seems very promising. The control that she has shown, not just on her skills but also her mental control out there. She's calm, collective," Muzumdar added.
Dec 26, 2025 05:14 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: Shafali tees off
Chasing a modest 129 runs for victory wasn’t going to be much of a challenge. Smriti Mandhana’s early wicket may have perhaps allowed Sri Lanka a sniff, but Shafali Verma teed off promptly, with Rodrigues looking in good touch again as India romped home in the 12th over. The duo decided to take on the spinners and executed their plans perfectly. Rodrigues took the aerial route more than once to up the scoring rate. And once she got her eye in, Verma joined in the fun soon enough as both players made the most of insipid bowling on a benign surface to drive India’s innings forward.
Dec 26, 2025 05:01 PM IST
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Live Cricket Score: India have dominated
So far in the this series, the Indian women's team has dominated a Sri Lankan side that is currently in transition. The bowling unit has done its part to restrict the Lankan side to 121 and 128, before the top order has clicked in both games making the chase easy.
In the second game at Vishakhapatnam, it was the spinners who did the trick for India: their spin trio sent down 12 overs, going for combined figures of 5/66.
In both games, the Indian fielders and bowlers managed to put pressure on Sri Lankan batters by drying up boundaries.
In the second T20I, for example, Sri Lanka could manage just 11 fours and two sixes in 20 overs – which meant they registered a sub-par score again.
Dec 26, 2025 04:38 PM IST
HOLA
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the third T20I between Indian Women's Team and Sri Lanka women. India could seal the series tonight if they win, since they have already won the previous two games.
India vs Sri Lanka: Vaishnavi Sharma’s international debut is a reward for domestic performances, says coach Amol Muzumdar
After being the leading wicket-taker (17 scalps) in India's 2025 U19 World Cup win and topping the domestic charts with 21 wickets, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma faced a surprise snub in the WPL 2026 auction; however, she was immediately "rewarded" with a senior India debut against Sri Lanka on December 21, 2025. Becoming the first player from the Chambal region to represent the national team, she has already impressed head coach Amol Muzumdar with her "mental control," delivering a suffocatingly economical debut (4-0-16-0) followed by a 2-wicket haul in the second T20I to help India take a 2-0 series lead. (Read more)
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments