Thiruvananthapuram, (UNI) India Women’s young sensation Shafali Verma and experienced pacer Renuka Singh Thakur were the stars as India crushed Sri Lanka Women by 8 wickets in the third T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium, sweeping the three-match series 3-0.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl, India relied on Renuka Singh’s fiery pace to put the Sri Lankan batswomen under pressure. Renuka was unplayable, claiming four crucial wickets for 21 runs, including the dismissals of openers Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama, and keeping Sri Lanka to 112 for 7 in 20 overs.
Deepti Sharma supported with three wickets, while key Sri Lankan batswomen such as Imesha Dulani (27) and Kaushani Nuthyangana (19) provided resistance. Renuka’s disciplined lengths and sharp bouncers ensured that India struck at regular intervals, breaking partnerships and controlling the innings.
Chasing the target, Shafali produced a breathtaking display of power and timing, finishing 79 not out off 42 balls with 11 fours and 3 sixes.
From the first over, Shafali seized the momentum, punishing anything short or wide, including a flurry of sixes and boundaries that raced to the fence. Her half-century came in spectacular fashion, featuring lofted drives, slogs over deep mid-wicket, and quick running between the wickets.
Harmanpreet Kaur supported with a quick 21 not out, while Jemimah Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana fell cheaply. Shafali sealed the match with a booming boundary off Malsha Shehani in the 13th over, exemplifying her fearless and attacking style.
The duo of Shafali’s aggressive batting and Renuka’s incisive bowling proved too strong for the Sri Lankan side. Renuka’s early breakthroughs and Shafali’s calculated onslaught highlighted the perfect balance of youth and experience, ensuring India wrapped up the series in style.
Umpires Gayathri Venugopalan and N Janani officiated on the field, with Vrinda Rathi as third umpire and GS Lakshmi as match referee.
The win underscored India’s dominance at home, showcasing the lethal combination of Renuka’s pace and Shafali’s fearless strokeplay as the foundation of their success.
Brief Scores:
Sri Lanka Women 112/7 in 20 overs (Imesha Dulani 27, Hasini Perera 25; Renuka Singh 4/21, Deepti Sharma 3/18)
India Women 115/2 in 13.2 overs (Shafali Verma 79*, Harmanpreet Kaur 21*; Kavisha Dilhari 2/18)
India Women won by 8 wickets and completed a 3-0 series sweep.
