New Delhi: Familiar struggles once again came back to haunt Sri Lanka as they fell short against India in the second T20I at Visakhapatnam. They were undone by a target that lacked substance and a bowling effort that failed to threaten. India seized the momentum at key moments and cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket victory, taking a 2-0 lead in the series. This makes it India’s ninth victory in their last 11 games against Sri Lanka in this format.
India made light work of the run chase, producing another emphatic display that highlighted their growing dominance with both bat and ball. They chased down 121 in just 14.4 overs in the first T20I and they were even more ruthless this time around, racing to the target of 128 in just 11.5 overs.
The innings provided brief optimism for Sri Lanka as Smriti Mandhana departed early for 14. However, any hopes of building pressure were swiftly extinguished by the arrival of Jemimah Rodrigues, who showed what it means to be in-form. Alongside Shafali Verma, she ensured India never allowed the asking rate to climb.
Shafali, who had missed out in the opening game, was back to her destructive best. She took the attack to the bowlers from the outset, combining power with placement and punishing anything short or overpitched.
Rodrigues complemented her perfectly, rotating strike efficiently and finding boundaries at crucial intervals. The duo looked in ominous touch stitching together a blistering 58-run partnership off just 28 balls, effectively sealing the contest well before the halfway stage.
Rodrigues eventually fell for a fluent 26 but by then the match was won. Shafali continued to dominate, displaying supreme confidence and control as she brought up a rapid half-century off just 27 deliveries.
India also lost Harmanpreet Kaur (10) towards the fag-end, but Shafali remained unbeaten on 69, calmly guiding India home and ensuring there were no further hiccups.
Earlier, India’s bowlers put on a clinical performance. Sneh Rana was the standout performer, delivering an exceptional spell of 1 for 11 from her four overs, choking the flow of runs and forcing errors.
Left-arm spinners Shree Charani (2/23) and Vaishnavi Sharma (2/32) complemented her perfectly, applying sustained pressure through the middle overs. Kranti Gaud (1/21) struck early, setting the tone for the innings. India’s bowling unit functioned seamlessly even in the absence of Deepti Sharma, who missed out due to a mild fever,
Sri Lanka showed better intent with the bat compared to their previous outing, but execution remained an issue. Their innings got off to a bad start when Vishmi Gunaratne (1) was dismissed by Gaud, putting pressure on the middle order.
Chamari Athapaththu responded in signature fashion, counterattacking with authority. Her 31 off 24 injected early momentum and briefly put the Indian bowlers on the back foot. However, Sri Lanka’s hopes of a competitive total rested heavily on her shoulders and her dismissal inside the Powerplay proved to be a turning point.
Harshitha Samarawickrama (33) and Hasini Perera (22) attempted to steady the innings with a cautious rebuild. Their 44-run partnership provided some stability and ensured Sri Lanka avoided a collapse. However, the run-rate stagnated and India tightened their grip, building pressure through disciplined lines and sharp fielding.
The death overs summed up Sri Lanka’s ongoing troubles. Just when acceleration was required, wickets fell in quick succession, preventing any meaningful late flourish. The innings eventually wrapped up at a below-par 128.
Indian captain Kaur said, “Really happy with the way we bowled. Bowlers took responsibility and put us into a good situation. Shafali and others batted well. We know what Rana can bring to the team, Deepti’s doing well for a long time. Really happy the way Vaishnavi bowled today, we missed a chance off her last game. We’re working really hard on fielding, things have gone wrong but today it came right. We had chats on setting standards with the way we bat. Everyone’s stepping up with a positive mindset.”
