Harmanpreet hails bowlers as India take 2–0 T20I lead over Sri Lanka
Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 69 powers seven-wicket win in Visakhapatnam
India, Dec 24 : India Women continued their dominant run against Sri Lanka Women, registering a convincing seven wicket victory in the second T20I of the five match series at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. Chasing a modest target of 129, India sealed the match with 49 balls to spare to take a 2–0 lead in the series.
Shafali Verma starred with an unbeaten 69 off 37 balls, anchoring the chase with authority after India’s bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 128 for 9. Despite the early dismissal of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali ensured there were no hiccups, finding solid support from Jemimah Rodrigues, who chipped in with a brisk 26 off 15 deliveries.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was full of praise for her bowling unit, crediting them for setting up the win after opting to bowl first.
“I am really happy with the way we bowled today. That was the reason we wanted to bowl first,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation. “The bowlers took responsibility and put us in a very strong position early on. Later, Shafali and the other batters finished things off beautifully.”
Harmanpreet highlighted the clarity of roles within the bowling group and reserved special praise for debutant Vaishnavi Sharma, who claimed two crucial wickets.
“We were all waiting for Vaishnavi’s first wicket. Even though there were missed chances in the previous game, today she bowled a very important over and delivered for the team,” she added.
Shafali, who was named Player of the Match, spoke about adapting to conditions and trusting her process.
“I tried to play along the ground and rotate strike. Acceptance is everything once you accept your weaknesses, you can work on them and become better,” she said.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu admitted her side fell short after a promising start.
“We did well in the powerplay but lost momentum in the middle overs. Against India, if you bat first, you need at least 150,” she said, also pointing to dew as a challenge for her bowlers.
With the series firmly in control, India will look to maintain their momentum as they aim to wrap up the contest early.
