India beat Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the first T20I, taking a 1-0 lead as bowlers shine and Jemimah Rodrigues smashed an unbeaten 69.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in the first T20I at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

With this win, India take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

India Vs Sri Lanka: 1st T20I – Highlights

How India Beat Sri Lanka In 1st T20I?

Jemimah Rodrigues led India’s chase with an unbeaten 69 as the host chased down the target with 32 deliveries to spare.

Earlier, Indian bowlers delivered an outstanding performance to restrict Sri Lanka to a modest 121/6 in 20 overs. After skipper Harmanpreet Kaur chose to field upon winning the toss in their first match since securing the Women’s ODI World Cup in Navi Mumbai, the Indian bowlers effectively stifled the Sri Lankan batters despite some poor fielding, including dropped catches, misfields, and a six saved by Smriti Mandhana. The 50-over World Champions struggled to adapt to the shorter format after a significant break from T20 cricket.

Sri Lanka also faced challenges with the T20 format, particularly after losing skipper Chamari Athapaththu for 15 off 12 balls, managing only 31/1 in the Power-play. Athapaththu hit three fours in the first few overs before Kranti Gaud bowled a ball through the bat and pad gap to claim her first Women’s T20I wicket.

Although debutant spinner Vaishavi Sharma did not take a wicket, she conceded only 16 runs in her four overs, tying the Sri Lankan batters in knots. Deepti Sharma was highly economical, conceding just 10 runs in three overs, while N Shree Charani was relatively expensive with 1-30 in four overs and dropped two easy catches.

The Indian spinners excelled in the middle overs, leveraging their experience effectively. Kranti Gaud (1-23), Deepti Sharma (1-20), and N. Shree Charani (1-30) each took a wicket for India.

Vishmi Gunaratne fought a lone battle for Sri Lanka, scoring a slow 39 off 43 balls, including a four and a six, before being run out due to Kranti Gaud’s excellent fielding. She shared a 38-run partnership with Harshitha Samarawickrama, but Sri Lanka’s batting effort faltered again once Samarawickrama was dismissed.

Hasini Perera scored 20 off 23 balls, and Harshitha Samarawickrama made 21 off 23 balls, both getting starts but failing to capitalise on them. Despite their efforts, the Islanders managed to cross into three figures but could not deliver any big shots.

India and Sri Lanka approached the match with contrasting selection strategies. India maintained faith in their experienced players, retaining most of those who played in their victorious 50-over World Cup campaign, while Sri Lanka opted for several young players as both teams aim to find the best combinations for the Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled for 2026.

(With inputs from Agencies)

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News cricket India Outclass Sri Lanka In 1st T20I By 8 Wickets As Jemimah Rodrigues Stars With Unbeaten 69

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