In the 1st T20 of the Sri Lanka Women Under-19s tour of India 2026, India Women Under-19s won the toss and elected to bat first at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Powered by explosive half-centuries from captain Bhavika Ahire and Nidhi Mahto, India posted a formidable total of 170/6 in their 20 overs. In response, Sri Lanka’s batting lineup crumbled completely under a relentless, clinical bowling attack led by Nidhi Mahto and Anaadi Tagde, bundling them out for a mere 77 runs to secure a dominant 93-run victory for India.
The batting innings kicked off with a quickfire cameo from opener Tanishka Sharma, who blasted 16 runs off just 10 balls before being caught by Sanjana Kavindi off the bowling of Chamodhi Herath. Her opening partner, Ira Jadhav, anchored briefly with a steady 10 runs off 12 balls, eventually falling to a caught-and-bowled by Chamudi Praboda. The real momentum shifted with a stellar middle order display.
Nidhi Mahto played a beautifully aggressive knock, hammering 59 runs off 44 balls, including 8 boundaries and a maximum before Herath claimed her second wicket. Captain and wicketkeeper Bhavika Ahire then took absolute charge of the innings, leading from the front with a masterful, explosive 73 runs off 47 balls. Ahire dismantled the bowling unit with 11 fours and a six before Pramudi Methsara managed to dismiss her.
As the innings neared its end, the lower order scrambled for quick runs. Ishwari Awasare managed 4 runs off 5 balls before a sharp piece of fielding by Chamodhi Herath resulted in a run-out. Kashvi Kandikuppa departed without scoring, falling to Pramudi Methsara, while Kumari Palak remained unbeaten at the crease with 1 run off 1 ball, successfully guiding the team to a formidable final total of 170.
The standout performers of the bowling innings were undoubtedly Chamodhi Herath and Pramudi Methsara, who both managed to apply significant pressure and pick up crucial wickets. Chamodhi Herath led the charge with an incredibly disciplined spell, conceding just 20 runs across her 4 full overs while picking up 2 wickets, including 12 dot balls. Equally effective at breaking partnerships, Pramudi Methsara registered identical wicket column success, snapping up 2 wickets for 23 runs in her 4 overs.
Captain Chamudi Praboda provided decent support through her full quota of 4 overs, finishing with figures of 1/34. On the other hand, the rest of the attack found it challenging to stem the flow of runs. Danodya Sewmini endured a difficult outing, being taken for 39 runs in her 3 overs. Aseni Thalagune also leaked runs at a brisk rate, finishing her 3 overs with 0 for 30. Meanwhile, Limansa Thilakarathna was introduced for a shorter 2 over burst, conceding 22 runs without finding a breakthrough.
It was a tough day at the office for the Sri Lankan team as a relentless bowling performance dismantled their lineup, packaging them all out for just 77 runs in 18.3 overs. After Sanjana Kavindi was dismissed early for 7 runs off 8 balls by Anaadi Tagde, Vimoksha Balasuriya provided a brief flash of aggression, striking 5 boundaries to top-score with 24 runs off 20 balls before falling to Kashvi Kandikuppa.
From there, a relentless bowling display completely suffocated the innings; Umayangana Peiris labored for a 23-ball 12 before being run out by Anaadi Tagde, and though Manudi Nanayakkara fought back with a resilient 28 off 27 balls, her dismissal by Nidhi Mahto triggered a spectacular lower-order collapse.
The remaining batters departed with almost no resistance, as Danodya Sewmini (2), Pramudi Methsara (1), and Chamodhi Herath (2) fell cheaply, while Limansa Thilakarathna, Nethagi Isuranjali, and Aseni Thalagune were all sent back for ducks thanks to clinical spells from Kumari Palak, Anaadi Tagde, and Nidhi Mahto, leaving captain Chamudi Praboda stranded unbeaten on 1 run as the final wicket fell to seal a comprehensive victory.
The second-innings bowling performance was an absolute clinic in defensive pressure and clinical execution, suffocating the opposition with relentless economy. Anaadi Tagde set a phenomenal standard at the top, delivering 3 overs with a maiden, snaring 2 key wickets while giving away just 12 runs. Providing an equally suffocating partner, Janhavi Virkar choked the scoring rate completely across her 3 overs, delivering a maiden and conceding a mere 8 runs for an astonishingly low economy of 2.67.
While Kashvi Kandikuppa was a bit more expensive, taking 1 for 22 in her 3 overs, Mahak Narwase kept things perfectly under wraps with a tight 3-over spell of 0 for 12. The spin and variation options then tore through any remaining resistance; Kumari Palak was incredibly impactful in her brief 2-over spell, picking up 2 wickets for just 7 runs, while Maitri Maniar remained equally parsimonious, registering figures of 1 for 11 in her 3 overs.
Finally, it was Nidhi Mahto who applied the ultimate finishing touch, tearing through the lower order to claim an outstanding 3 wickets for a minuscule 5 runs in just 1.3 overs, putting a definitive stamp on a thoroughly dominant team bowling display.
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