India vs Sri Lanka, 1st Women's T20I

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the India vs Sri Lanka 1st Women's T20I in Visakhapatnam.

Deepti Sharma is just five wickets shy of becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is, with Australia’s Megan Schutt currently holding the record at 151 wickets from 123 matches. Deepti has 147 wickets from 129 games, with an economy rate of 6.12 and a four-wicket haul to her name.

The 28-year-old also aims for a unique milestone: becoming the first cricketer in Women’s T20Is to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 150 wickets — a feat not yet accomplished even in Men’s T20Is.

Most wickets in Women’s T20Is

• Megan Schutt (Australia) – Matches: 123, Wickets: 151
• Deepti Sharma Sharma (India) – Matches: 129, Wickets: 147
• Henriette Ishimwe (Rwanda) – Matches: 117, Wickets: 144
• Nida Dar (Pakistan) – Matches: 160, Wickets: 144
• Sophie Ecclestone (England) – Matches: 101, Wickets: 142

Smriti Mandhana is on the verge of a major milestone, aiming to become the first Indian batter to score 4,000 runs in Women’s T20Is.

Currently just 18 runs shy of the landmark, she has accumulated 3,982 runs from 153 matches at an average of 29.93 and a strike rate of 123.97, including one century and 31 half-centuries.

New Zealand’s Suzie Bates was the first player to achieve this feat.

Most runs in Women’s T20Is

• Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – Matches: 177, Runs: 4716
• Smriti Mandhana (India) – Matches: 153, Runs: 3982
• Harmanpreet Kaur (India) – Matches: 182, Runs: 3654
• Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) – Matches: 146, Runs: 3458
• Sophie Devine (New Zealand) – Matches: 146, Runs: 3431

Vizag is set to host a T20I for the first time since 2014. Back then, the pitch offered little help to batters, with first-innings scores averaging around 118. Over the past 11 years, however, the surface has improved significantly, providing much more batting-friendly conditions, as showcased during this year’s ODI World Cup.

The weather looks ideal for cricket, with no rain expected and temperatures around 24°C. Humidity will stay in the low to mid-70s, creating comfortable conditions for players and fans alike.

With the T20 World Cup approaching, India’s preparations are in motion, once again marked by faith in youth — a strategy that fuelled their ODI World Cup success. The selection of Vaishnavi Sharma and G Kamalini reflects a clear long-term vision, blending immediate needs with future planning.

Both youngsters arrive with strong credentials after playing key roles in India’s U19 T20 World Cup title defence. Vaishnavi impressed with a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul, while Kamalini’s fearless batting stood out.

Fresh from earning and retaining a WPL contract with Mumbai Indians, Kamalini now has a chance to take the next step, with the Sri Lanka series offering both players a vital platform to push their case ahead of the T20 World Cup.

India have largely dominated Sri Lanka in T20Is, winning 20 of their 26 meetings, while Sri Lanka have managed five victories and one match ended without a result.

On home soil, India have won four of the six encounters, though Sri Lanka’s most notable success came last year with their Asia Cup final triumph last year. 

The celebrations may have ended, but the grind resumes. India, buoyed by their historic ODI World Cup triumph, now shift gears to T20 cricket as preparations begin for next year’s World Cup in England.

The Sri Lanka series is not just another assignment — it is a testing ground to confront past T20 disappointments, experiment with combinations and start shaping a new identity in the shortest format.