Left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma got her international career off to a good start as she made a valuable contribution in first T20I against Sri Lanka on Sunday, December 21. Sharma’s continuous pressure never allowed Sri Lanka to get going in their innings and were restricted to 121/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Her disciplined bowling saw her finish with figures of 0 for 16 from four overs, building pressure and offering few opportunities to the Sri Lankan batters throughout her spell. Reflecting on her debut, Sharma was quick to credit captain Harmanpreet Kaur for her support and guidance, especially during key moments.
“She was telling me that I have done a good job in the past. ‘You have done a great job. You have given incredible performances.’ She was giving me her blessing,” said Sharma in the post-match press conference.
Sharma also highlighted the clarity and single-minded focus Harmanpreet brings to the team. “Whenever there is a huddle, she tells us to focus on one thing. She tells us to focus on what we can do well today,” she added.
Despite her composed showing, Sharma admitted to feeling nerves before play began. “Yes, I was nervous before the National Anthem. After the National Anthem, I calmed down,” she said.
For India, Kranti Gaud (1/23), Deepti Sharma (1/20) and Shree Charani (1/30) were amongst the wickets as they kept a stranglehold on the hosts throughout their innings, which also witnessed three run outs.
Jemimah leads India’s run chase
Later in the second innings, Jemimah Rodrigues anchored the chase with a fluent 69 not out off 44 balls, including 10 boundaries. With her performance, she equalled Mithali Raj’s record of four 50-plus T20I scores against Sri Lanka.
Opener Smriti Mandhana also added another milestone by becoming only the second woman to reach 4000 T20I runs, joining New Zealand’s Suzie Bates. Mandhana achieved the feat in 3227 balls, faster than Bates’s 3675 deliveries.
Mandhana and Jemimah added a vital 54-run partnership for the second wicket off 41 balls, putting India firmly in control. Jemimah then combined with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (15*) for an unbeaten 55-run stand for the third wicket off 39 balls.
Courtesy of their performances, Women in Blue chased down the target in 14.4 overs and registered an emphatic eight-wicket victory in the first T20I. Rodrigues was deservedly adjudged Player of the Match for her match-winning half century.
Meanwhile, having secured a commanding win in the series opener, India will now look to continue momentum in the second T20I on December 23 in Visakhapatnam.
– Ends
