An exceptional all-round performance saw India defeat Sri Lanka by 30 runs in the fourth Women`s T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, securing an unassailable 4-0 lead in the five-match series. The victory was largely driven by a record-breaking opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana (80) and Shafali Verma (79), which propelled India to their highest Women`s T20I total of 221/2. The platform was then expertly defended, thanks to an impressive bowling effort, notably from spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who took 2/24.
Sri Lanka`s Gallant Chase Falls Short
Chasing a monumental target of 222, Sri Lanka responded with early aggression. Openers Hasini Perera (33 off 20 balls) and captain Chamari Athapaththu (52 off 37 balls, including three fours and three sixes) provided instant fireworks. However, despite this strong start, the sheer size of the target proved too demanding for the touring side. Sri Lanka lost momentum and a flurry of late wickets, finishing their innings at 191 for six in 20 overs.
While Perera quickly established the tone with a series of boundaries and Athapaththu displayed her customary array of strokes, the required run-rate continuously escalated on the batsman-friendly pitch.
In a high-scoring game where marginal errors were severely punished, young Vaishnavi Sharma delivered a crucial spell. She successfully exerted pressure, bowling nine dot balls in her four overs, and secured the vital wickets of the dangerous Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama (20). Arundhati Reddy (2/42) chipped in with critical breakthroughs, breaking the 59-run opening stand by dismissing Perera in the sixth over and later removing Kavisha Dilhari (13).
The fifth and final T20I of the series is scheduled to be played at the same venue on December 30.
Record-Breaking Partnership Sets the Tone
Earlier in the day, after being asked to bat first, the Indian openers, Mandhana and Shafali, put on a batting masterclass. Their commanding 162-run stand across 15.2 overs now stands as India`s best partnership for any wicket in Women`s T20I history, bettering their own previous record of 143 set against the West Indies in 2019. This marked the fourth time the pair has stitched together a century partnership.
Mandhana’s innings not only contributed significantly to the highest-ever Women`s T20I total for India (221/2), but she also entered the record books by becoming only the fourth woman—after compatriot Mithali Raj, New Zealand`s Suzie Bates, and England`s Charlotte Edwards—to complete 10,000 international runs across all formats.
Shafali Verma, continuing her red-hot form in the series, notched her third consecutive half-century. She narrowly missed a maiden T20I century, falling for 79 off 46 balls (including 12 fours and a six) after offering a return catch to Nimasha Meepage in the 16th over. Both batters demonstrated precision, expertly finding gaps and executing spectacular hits on both sides of the wicket without resorting to reckless aggression.
The strong foundation was capitalized on by the lower order. Richa Ghosh, exhibiting hard-hitting brilliance, smashed an unbeaten 40 off just 16 balls (four fours, three sixes), while Captain Harmanpreet Kaur added 16 not out off 9 balls. Their unbroken 53-run stand for the third wicket ensured India comfortably zoomed past the 200-run mark, setting an imposing total that proved decisive.
