In Match 12 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday (October 9), India delivered a powerful performance to secure a decisive 82-run victory over Sri Lanka. After setting a formidable target of 173 runs, India’s bowlers dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, limiting them to just 90 runs in 19.5 overs. Harmanpreet Kaur’s aggressive knock of 52 runs off 27 balls was the highlight of India’s innings, earning her the Player of the Match award.

Batting brilliance by Harmanpreet Kaur

Opting to bat first, India capitalized on a strong start, led by openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. The duo laid the foundation with a solid partnership of 98 runs. Verma displayed aggressive intent, scoring 43 runs off 40 balls, while Mandhana, who played with finesse and fluency, contributed 50 runs from just 38 deliveries. The Indian middle order continued the momentum, with Harmanpreet coming in and accelerating the scoring with her power-hitting, hitting eight boundaries and one-six in her quick-fire innings. Jemimah Rodrigues added a valuable 16 runs before being dismissed, but Harmanpreet’s late onslaught propelled India to a total of 172 runs for the loss of three wickets.

Sri Lanka struggles with the bat

Chasing 173 runs, Sri Lanka Women faced immediate setbacks as they lost their first two wickets without scoring a run. Renuka Singh, leading India’s bowling attack, struck early, claiming the crucial wickets of Vishmi Gunaratne and Chamari Athapaththu. The situation worsened for Sri Lanka as Harshitha Samarawickrama followed suit, leaving them reeling at 6/3. Kavisha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani tried to stabilize the innings, but the pressure of the required run rate took its toll. Dilhari managed to score 21 runs off 22 balls, while Sanjeewani contributed 20 runs off 22 balls. However, the Indian bowlers, particularly Renuka, Asha Sobhana and Arundhati Reddy, maintained tight lines and lengths, preventing any substantial partnerships from forming.

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Bowling prowess from India

The Indian bowlers were relentless, showcasing their skill and control throughout the innings. Asha emerged as the standout performer, taking 3 wickets for just 19 runs in her 4 overs. Her incisive spells included the breakthroughs in the middle set the tone for the innings. Renuka and Reddy also made significant contributions, picking five wickets between them and restricting Sri Lanka to a mere 90 runs. The spin trio of Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil and Deepti Sharma stifled the opposition, ensuring that Sri Lanka could not build any momentum as wickets continued to tumble.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.