Switzerland Women rounded off the five-match T20I series with another impressive all-round display, defeating Germany Women by 25 runs in the fifth and final WT20I at Karlsruhe. After being asked to bat first, Switzerland recovered from a couple of early setbacks through a composed innings from Franziska Kuenburg and an explosive late flourish by Vani Dhanuka to post a competitive 130/6 in 20 overs. Germany never quite found the momentum required during the chase despite a fighting knock from Shravya Kolcharam, as disciplined bowling and sharp fielding helped Switzerland restrict them to 105/9, securing a convincing victory.
Switzerland’s innings began cautiously but suffered an early blow when Laila Pickard managed 13 off 20 deliveries before edging Iris Edwards to wicketkeeper Verena Stolle, leaving the visitors at 34/1 in the 7th over. Pickard and Franziska Kuenburg had stitched together a 34-run opening partnership, giving Switzerland a steady platform despite the slow scoring rate. Kuenburg then looked to anchor the innings alongside Meghna Rajan, with the pair adding 28 runs for the second wicket. Rajan contributed a brisk 14 off 13 balls, including one boundary, before attempting an aggressive stroke and being stumped by Stolle off Meghana Lakayil, reducing Switzerland to 62/2 after 11.4 overs.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, Kuenburg continued to hold one end together while Vani Dhanuka gradually settled into her innings. Kuenburg played a patient knock of 40 from 54 balls, striking two boundaries, but after adding 32 valuable runs for the third wicket, she became Meghana Lakayil’s second victim when she was bowled in the 17th over. Switzerland slipped to 94/3, handing Germany a chance to restrict the total during the closing stages.
However, Dhanuka ensured the momentum swung firmly back in Switzerland’s favour. She first shared a brief 14-run fourth wicket stand with captain Danashi Medagoda, whose stay ended after scoring 4 from four deliveries when Lakayil struck for the third time. The middle-order wobble continued as Samiha Dabholkar was stumped without scoring just one over later, while Naina Metty Saju was run out for 1 after another quick mix-up. Switzerland suddenly found themselves at 114/6 in 18.4 overs, having lost three wickets for just 20 runs.
The closing overs, though, belonged entirely to Dhanuka and Natalie Clarke. The unbeaten duo stitched together a crucial 16-run partnership for the seventh wicket, providing the acceleration Switzerland desperately needed. Dhanuka remained unbeaten on an entertaining 37 off just 23 deliveries, smashing one four and one six at a strike rate of 160.87, while Clarke added an unbeaten 8 off four balls, including a boundary. Their finishing effort, combined with 13 extras, lifted Switzerland to a competitive 130/6.
Germany’s bowlers had mixed fortunes throughout the innings. Meghana Lakayil was the standout performer, returning impressive figures of 3/27 from four overs, dismissing Rajan, Medagoda and Kuenburg while consistently breaking partnerships. Antonia Meyenborg claimed 1/28 in four overs, removing Pickard with the new ball, while Iris Edwards picked up 1/24 by dismissing the opener early. Ameya Kanukuntla bowled economically, conceding only 21 runs in her four overs, although she remained wicketless, and Asmita Kohli finished without a wicket after giving away 27 runs. Germany were also assisted by an important run-out that removed Naina Metty Saju during the closing overs.
Chasing 131, Germany’s innings never truly got going as Switzerland struck immediately. Wilhelmina Hornero-Garcia was trapped leg-before by Samiha Konuganti off the very first ball of the innings, handing Switzerland a dream start at 0/1. Aanvi Kishore and Shravya Kolcharam attempted to rebuild with a five-run partnership, but Konuganti struck again when Aanvi edged behind after scoring 3, leaving Germany struggling at 5/2 in the third over.
Kolcharam then found support from Aishani Kishore, and together they produced Germany’s best stand of the innings, adding 22 runs for the third wicket. Kolcharam played positively against the Swiss attack while Kishore tried to rotate the strike before a sharp piece of fielding resulted in Kishore being run out for 5. Germany were 27/3 after 7.5 overs, still needing a significant acceleration.
Kolcharam continued to battle and added another 14 runs alongside Asmita Kohli, who scored 8 before becoming Sejal Vinod’s first wicket after being stumped by Ananya Srinivasan. At 41/4, Germany remained behind the required rate. Kolcharam then shared a 17-run fifth-wicket partnership with Rameesha Shahid, but just as Germany looked to build, Vani Dhanuka trapped Shahid for 5. The innings slipped further when Kolcharam’s fighting knock finally ended for 41 off 39 balls, featuring four boundaries and one six, after she was bowled by Danashi Medagoda. Her dismissal left Germany at 76/6 in the 13.3rd over, effectively ending their hopes of a successful chase.
The lower order could not produce the required momentum despite Ameya Kanukuntla remaining unbeaten on 20 from 29 balls. She added only seven runs with Meghana Lakayil, whose stay ended in a run-out, before Verena Stolle was also run out for 1. Antonia Meyenborg contributed just 2 before becoming Samiha Dabholkar’s lone wicket, while Iris Edwards remained unbeaten on 2. Germany finished on 105/9, with 15 extras marginally boosting their final total.
Switzerland’s bowling effort was built around collective discipline rather than individual dominance. Samiha Konuganti set the tone with the new ball, producing figures of 2/18 in four overs, including the prized wickets of Wilhelmina Hornero-Garcia and Aanvi Kishore. Meghna Rajan was exceptionally economical, conceding only 7 runs in her four-over spell while picking up one wicket at a remarkable economy of 1.75. Sejal Vinod claimed 2/27, dismissing Asmita Kohli and Shravya Kolcharam at key moments, while Vani Dhanuka chipped in with 1/20 by removing Rameesha Shahid. Samiha Dabholkar finished with 1/14 in three overs, and captain Danashi Medagoda also struck once by ending Kolcharam’s resistance.
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