India Women showcased an impressive all-round performance as they clinched the 3rd T20I against Sri Lanka Women in Thiruvananthapuram on December 26, 2025. They triumphed with a commanding eight-wicket victory, finishing the match with 40 balls to spare and reinforcing their strength in the T20 format.
Sri Lanka Women began confidently, with Hasini Perera providing some early momentum. She played a fluent knock, scoring 25 off 18 balls and hitting five boundaries, which briefly put the Indian bowlers on the back foot. However, India quickly made a breakthrough during the powerplay as Renuka Singh Thakur showcased her skill, dismissing Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu for just 3 runs off 12 balls. The pressure mounted for Sri Lanka as they lost Harshitha Samarawickrama shortly after, who managed only 2 runs.
A cautious partnership between Imesha Dulani and Nilakshika Silva followed, as they sought to stabilize the innings. Dulani anchored their effort with a patient 27 off 32 balls, while Silva struggled to find her rhythm before being trapped lbw by Renuka for 4 runs, further tightening India’s grip on the game. Renuka’s exceptional bowling spell proved pivotal as she claimed 4 wickets for only 21 runs in four overs, dismantling the Sri Lankan middle order.
Just when it seemed Sri Lanka was sinking, Kavisha Dilhari brought some urgency to the innings. She played freely, scoring 20 runs off just 13 balls with a boundary and a six, and formed a brisk partnership with Kaushini Nuthyangana, who finished unbeaten on 19 runs off 16 balls. Despite this partnership, wickets continued to tumble, with Malsha Shehani managing only 5 runs before falling to Deepti Sharma, who was the other standout performance with 3 wickets for 18 runs.
Sri Lanka concluded their innings at 112 for 7 in 20 overs, with India’s bowlers maintaining tight discipline throughout, including notable contributions from Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, and Amanjot Kaur.
In pursuit of the modest target, India Women started their innings confidently, though they faced an early challenge when Smriti Mandhana was dismissed for just 1 run after being trapped lbw. This gave Sri Lanka a flicker of hope, but that was quickly extinguished by Shafali Verma. She took charge of the chase with her aggressive batting style, blending timing and power beautifully. Together with Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 9 runs off 15 balls before being bowled by Dilhari, they built a crucial partnership that kept India on track.
What followed was a thrilling exhibition of finishing from Verma, with solid support from captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The pair formed an unbroken partnership, judiciously pacing the chase and keeping the runs flowing. Verma finished with an outstanding 79* runs off just 42 balls, hitting 11 fours and three sixes, while Harmanpreet contributed a steady 21 not out off 18 deliveries, leading India to a 8-wicket victory in just 13.2 overs.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers struggled to contain the onslaught, despite Dilhari’s commendable figures of 2 for 18. While Malki Madara showed some control with 0 for 11, others like Nimasha Meepage and Inoka Ranaweera faced considerable pressure, resulting in expensive spells.
The match highlighted the depth and balance of the India Women’s team, particularly through Shafali Verma’s match-winning innings and Renuka Singh’s critical bowling performance. With this significant victory, India not only secured the T20I series but also sent a strong signal for their upcoming challenges in women’s international cricket.
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