India women recorded a convincing 9 wicket win over Sri Lanka women in their opening cricket fixture of the Tri Nation cricket tournament played at R.Premadasa International Cricket Stadium yesterday.
It was a superb all round performance by Indian lasses starting off the series in a great style.
The game was reduced to 39 overs per side due to rain and commenced at 12 noon and ground staff did a good job to start the game after rain.
Sri Lankan having been put into bat first openers Chamari Athapaththu and Hasini Perera who replaced Vishmi Gunaratne struggled to get runs. Skipper Athapaththu (7 in 18 balls) couldn’t play her usual powerful strokes and was first to out off fast bowler Arundhati Reddy at 7.2 overs. Sri Lanka were 37 for 1 wicket after 10 overs. Hasini and Harshitha Samarawickrama added 31 runs second wicket stand but Samarawickrama was unfortunately run out scoring 14 in 24 balls with a four and her dismissal affected badly for Sri Lanka team.
Hasini Perera made 30 in 46 balls with 4 fours while two useful knocks from Kavisha Dilhari (25 in 26 balls with 3 fours) and Anushka Sanjeewani (22 in 39 balls with 3 fours) put some resistance but Indian spinners fought back strongly to get wickets at regular intervals to skittle out Sri Lanka for 147 with 5 balls to spare. Sneh Rana the off spinner was the most successful bowler taking 3 for 31 in her 8 overs spell well supported by off spinner Deepthi Sharma (2 for 22) and debutant leg spinner Shree Charani (2 for 26).
Indians chasing a target of 148 made a solid platform with openers Pratika Rawal and experienced Smriti Mandana adding 54 runs in 9.5 overs. Mandana played more aggressively scoring 43 in 46 balls with 6 fours before she was out caught off the bowling of experienced leg spinner Inoka Ranaweera in her first over which was the solitary wicket for Sri Lanka.
However Rawal and Harleen Deol well controlled the game to reach the target in 29.4 overs. Opener Rawal hit an unbeaten 50 in 62 balls with 7 fours well supported by Harleen Deol who scored unbeaten 48 in 71 balls with 4 fours including the winning boundary against Inoka Ranaweera. The pair added a superb 95 runs second wicket unbroken stand to seal their victory.
Indian opener Pratika Rawal was named Player of the Match.
Sri Lanka played with two debutants Malki Madara and Piyumi Wathsala while India also brought two debutants Kashvee Gautham and Shree Charani for this game.
Meanwhile India will meet South Africa in their next game tomorrow at the same venue.
Chief scores
Sri Lanka women 147 all out in 38.1 overs (Hasini Perera 30, Harshitha Samarawickrama 14, Kavisha Dilhari 25, Nilakshika Silva 10, Anushka Sanjeewani 22, Achini Kulasuriya 17, Arundhati Reddy 1/26, Deepthi Sharma 2/22, Sneh Rana 3/31, Shree Charani 2/26)
India women 149 for 1 wicket in 29.4 overs (Pratika Rawal 50, Smriti Mandana 43, Harleen Deol 48, Inoka Ranaweera 1/32)
(Daily News)
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