Women’s Cricket Tri-Series: Confident India take on resurgent Sri Lanka

Harmanpreet Kaur's side has been clinical so far, notching up wins against both Sri Lanka and South Africa to sit atop the points table with two victories from as many matches

Colombo: India will look to extend their dominant run while a resurgent Sri Lanka will strive to stay in contention for the summit clash when the two teams clash in the women’s tri-nation ODI series here Sunday.

Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has been clinical so far, notching up wins against both Sri Lanka and South Africa to sit atop the points table with two victories from as many matches.

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India had outplayed the hosts in the tournament-opener last week, but Sri Lanka’s convincing five-wicket win over South Africa on Friday has injected new life into their campaign.

India has now won eight consecutive ODIs, with all three departments clicking in unison. While spinners Sneh Rana and Shree Charani starred with the ball to dismantle Sri Lanka in the first meeting, openers Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana, along with Harleen Deol, ensured a smooth chase of the 148-run target.

Against South Africa, India’s top order once again provided the platform before the middle order, led by Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues, added 82 runs in the final 10 overs to post a competitive total.

Despite opener Tazmin Brits threatening to take the game away, Rana’s timely three-wicket over turned the tide decisively in India’s favour. The fielding unit also impressed with sharp work on the ground, supporting the bowlers efficiently.

However, pacers Kashvee Gautam and Arundhati Reddy were expensive against South Africa and will aim for better control and adaptability on the slower surface. For Sri Lanka, the 128-run fourth-wicket stand between Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari — the highest for the team in ODIs at that position — formed the backbone of their win over South Africa.

The bowling department was equally effective with Malki Madara and debutant Dewmi Vihanga sharing seven wickets between them. However, the poor form of skipper Chamari Athapaththu remains a concern, putting additional pressure on the batting unit. The inclusion of 19-year-old Vishmi Gunaratne has added some depth to the top order. India, with momentum on their side, will aim to seal a place in the final, while Sri Lanka will look to stay in contention with another strong performance.

Squads:

India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, Nallapureddy Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Amanjot Kaur, Tejal Hasabnis, Shuchi Upadhyay.

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Kavisha Dilhari, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hansima Karunaratne, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Malki Madara, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Manudi Nanayakkara, Hasini Perera, Piumi Wathsala, Inoka Ranaweera, Anushka Sanjeewani, Rashmika Sewwandi, Nilakshika Silva, Dewmi Vihanga. Match starts at 10:00 AM.