IND-W vs SL-W 5th T20I: The fourth T20I between India Women and Sri Lanka Women turned into a historic evening as the hosts delivered a performance that rewrote several records and firmly underlined their dominance in the series. With an emphatic win already sealing the series, the match still carried importance in terms of momentum, confidence, and individual milestones, all of which India capitalized on in style.
India Women produced one of their most commanding batting displays in T20 international history. Batting first, the home side posted a massive total of 221 for 2, their highest score ever in this format. The innings was defined by intent, precision, and composure from the very first over, leaving the Sri Lankan bowlers searching for answers.
The opening partnership laid the foundation for this monumental score. The two batters at the top stitched together a 162-run stand for the first wicket, the highest opening partnership for India Women in T20 internationals. Their understanding, shot selection, and ability to rotate the strike ensured constant pressure on the fielding side.
Alongside the team achievement, the match also witnessed a significant personal milestone. Smriti Mandhana became only the fourth cricketer in women’s cricket to complete 10,000 international runs across formats. This achievement reflects her consistency, longevity, and importance to the Indian batting lineup over the years. Her contribution in the fourth T20I was not just about numbers, but about leadership and setting the tone in a high-stakes contest.
Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India Women showed maturity and tactical clarity. Defending the huge total, the bowlers maintained discipline despite a spirited chase from Sri Lanka. India eventually secured a comfortable 30-run victory, highlighting their all-round strength. With this win, the hosts extended their lead to 4-0 in the five-match series, making the upcoming final game an opportunity to complete a clean sweep.
Despite the loss, Sri Lanka Women took several positives from the match. Chasing a daunting target, the visitors showed resilience and intent, registering their highest-ever T20 international total of 191 runs. Their batters refused to surrender easily and continued to attack, even when the required run rate climbed steeply.
This performance demonstrated that Sri Lanka is gradually closing the gap and gaining confidence against top-tier opposition. Although the bowlers struggled early on, the batting effort suggested a team willing to fight till the end rather than settling for damage control.
Historically, the contest between India Women and Sri Lanka Women has been heavily one-sided. Out of 30 T20 international matches played between the two sides, India has emerged victorious on 24 occasions, while Sri Lanka has managed just five wins. One match ended without a result. These numbers underline India’s dominance but also highlight Sri Lanka’s motivation to improve their record in future encounters.
As the series moves to its final match in Thiruvananthapuram, both teams are expected to stick largely with their core combinations, while possibly testing bench strength.
India Women are likely to feature Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh as wicketkeeper, Harmanpreet Kaur as captain, Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Vaishnavi Sharma, Renuka Thakur, and Shree Charani.
Sri Lanka Women may line up with Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu as captain, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Malsha Shehani, Kaushani Nuthyangana as wicketkeeper, Rashmika Sewwandi, Kawya Kavindi, and Nimasha Madushani.
With confidence on their side, India Women will aim to finish the series unbeaten and continue building momentum ahead of future international assignments. Sri Lanka Women, on the other hand, will look to draw inspiration from their improved batting display and end the tour on a positive note with a strong performance in the final match.
