Renuka Thakur and Shafali Verma propel India to an unassailable 3-0 series lead with eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka in third T20I



India continued their dominance in the T20I series against Sri Lankasealing an unassailable 3-0 lead with a commanding an eight-wicket victory in the third match at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. The hosts once again followed a familiar plan, clinical bowling up front followed by a ruthless chase. Sri Lanka were restricted to a modest total after losing wickets at regular intervals, leaving India with a simple target. The chase never looked in doubt as India headed home with 40 deliveries to spare, highlighting the gulf between the two teams in the series so far.

Renuka Thakur, Deepti Sharma write off Sri Lanka’s batting collapse in 3rd T20I

Renuka Singh Thakur (4/21) made an immediate impact with the new ball, swinging it sharply and disrupting Sri Lanka’s top order. Hasini Perera provided early resistance with a brisk 25, including a couple of boundaries and a daring scoop, but India quickly tightened the screw. Deepti Sharma broke the opening stand by rejecting Chamari Athapatthuwho struggled to get going and perished trying to force the pace.

Renuka then delivered the decisive blows in quick succession, first taking out the in-form Perera before completing a catch and throw to dismiss him. Harshitha Samarawickrama. His spell reduced Sri Lanka to 32/3 and effectively took the wind out of their innings. She struck again later to trap Nilakshika Silva stage forward, ending with a memorable comeback performance. Deepti, meanwhile, continued her remarkable consistency, taking 3/18 and equaling Megan Schutt’s record as the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with her 151st scalp. Although Kavisha Dilhari And It’s over Dulani After adding 40 runs, Deepti ensured that Sri Lanka never escaped, restricting them to 112/7, well below average on the surface.

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Shafali Verma’s fireworks seal the deal for India in style

Pursuing a modest goal, Shafali Verma turned the contest into a one-sided affair with another jaw-dropping spectacle topping the order. After three first dot balls, the explosive opener immediately shifted gears, dancing down the track to bowl an 83-yard six over long-off and setting the tone for the chase. From there, she barely made a mistake, timing the ball gently and punishing anything that was loose.

Shafali smashed an unbeaten 79, laced with 11 boundaries and three towering sixes, registering his second consecutive half-century and making a mockery of the target. Spinner Kavisha Dilhari briefly slowed India’s progress by rejecting Smriti Mandhana And Rodroguebut the result was never in doubt. Shafali deservedly ended the chase with a boundary, capping a dominant all-round performance and confirming India’s supremacy in the series with two matches still to play.

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This article was first published on WomenCricket.comA Cricket Schedules business.





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