India began their post-World Cup journey with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first women’s T20I at Visakhapatnam after restricting the visitors to a modest 121 for 6. Despite noticeable dew setting in as the night progressed, Sri Lanka’s total proved below par on a surface that eased considerably for batting in the second innings.
Sri Lanka struggled to build momentum after being asked to bat first, with India’s bowlers maintaining control through disciplined spells. Vishmi Gunaratne top-scored with a patient 39 off 43 balls, while captain Chamari Athapaththu fell early, bowled by debutant seamer Kranti Gaud. India’s spinners, though not overly penetrative, applied sustained pressure, ensuring Sri Lanka failed to accelerate, particularly in the middle overs. Even with several dropped chances by the hosts, Sri Lanka managed only 30 runs in the final four overs.
India’s chase was led by Jemimah Rodrigues, who marked her 100th T20I appearance with a fluent unbeaten 69 off 44 balls. After the early dismissal of Shafali Verma, Rodrigues and Smriti Mandhana stabilised the innings, adding 54 runs before Mandhana departed for 25. Rodrigues then guided the chase alongside skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, finishing the match with 32 balls to spare.
Mandhana, despite a scratchy start, became just the second woman to cross 4,000 T20I runs during her innings. However, it was Rodrigues’ assured strokeplay, using sweeps, deft placement, and smart use of the crease, that underlined the gulf between the two sides on the night.
For Sri Lanka, the defeat highlights ongoing concerns around batting depth and strike rotation, especially against quality spin. With a short turnaround before the second T20I at the same venue, the visitors will be hoping for sharper execution in the field and a more proactive approach with the bat as they look to level the series.
