Deepti too shines as Women in Blue beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in 3rd WT20I
Thiruvananthapuram: Renuka Singh Thakur and Deepti Sharma dazzled with the ball before Shafali Verma’s pyrotechnics powered India to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, clinching the five-match series in the third women’s T20I here on Friday.
With the win, India have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, underlining their complete dominance over the visitors. The contest followed a familiar script, with India first restricting Sri Lanka to a modest total before overhauling the target with consummate ease.
Renuka (4/21) marked her return to the side in scintillating fashion, while Deepti became the joint-highest wicket-taker in women’s T20Is as India limited Sri Lanka to a paltry 112 for seven.
Playing her first T20I since December last year, Renuka struck immediately with the new ball, removing Hasini Perera (25) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (2) in quick succession. She later trapped Nilakshika Silva leg-before to further tighten India’s grip. Deepti Sharma (3/18) provided crucial breakthroughs, including the wicket of Kavisha Dilhari (20), claiming her 151st T20I scalp to equal Megan Schutt as the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.
Chasing 113, Shafali Verma dominated with an unbeaten 79 off 42 balls, hitting 11 boundaries and three sixes, taking India home with 40 balls to spare. De spite brief resistance from Sri Lanka spinners, the result was never in doubt. India’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout, ensuring Sri Lanka never regained momentum and were restricted to a below-par total.
