The Indian bowlers choked the Sri Lankan girls’s workforce after Jemimah Rodrigues’s very important knock on return to safe a convincing 34-run victory within the first T20 International on Thursday. Defending a modest 139, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav (2/22) made her presence felt proper after the powerplay by dismissing the dangerous-looking Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu (16) and Harsihtha Madavi (10) in three balls.
Reduced to 27 for 3 inside seven overs, Sri Lanka by no means managed to get going within the run chase, which was additional derailed by some tight bowling by seamer Deepti Pooja Vastrakar within the center overs en path to a tidy spell of 4-1-13-1. Deepti Sharma gave India a flying begin, dismissing opener Vishmi Gunaratne (0) within the second over. The senior off-spinner was at her miserly finest within the powerplay and returned with figures of 3-1-9-1 to stymie the Sri Lanka’s progress early on.
Deepti additionally took a surprising catch operating in from deep sq. leg to provide Radha her second wicket of the day.
Kavisha Dilhari waged a lone battle for the hosts with a combating 49-ball 47 (6×4), however the Indians’ top-class bowling and fielding ensured their workforce emerged simple winners for a 1-0 lead within the three-match collection.
The hosts wanted 78 runs within the final 5 overs and Kavisha bought going with a flurry of boundaries towards Harmanpreet Kaur and Radha.But it proved inadequate because the Indians choked the house workforce’s run charge whereas denying the Islanders any six of their innings. Shafali Verma compounded Sri Lanka’s distress by dismissing Ama Kanchana (11) within the loss of life overs to depart them tottering at 104 for 5.
Opting to bat, India misplaced opener Smriti Mandhana (1) within the third over of the sport, the 25-year-old turning into the sufferer of veteran spinner Oshadi Ranasinghe whereas seeking to free her arms. She hit a tossed-up supply straight to Chamari Aththapatu at mid-on. Sabbhineni Meghana was out for a golden duck, despatched again to the dressing room by outdated warhorse Ranasinghe. Losing two wickets early and below strain within the scorching and humid Dambulla, it was left to the duo of Harmanpreet and Shefali Verma to take management of the scenario.
A well-settled Verma was the following to go, dismissed by Aththapatu on 31 whereas attempting to go for a most. Smart bowling by the Lankans ensured that they quickly bought their greatest breakthrough when Harmanpreet (22) was trapped in entrance of the wicket by spinner Inoka Ranaweera within the eleventh over.
Ranaweera picked two extra wickets to ship again wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh (11) and Pooja Vastrakar (14) to cut back the guests to 106 for six in 17 overs and depart Jemimah with the duty of giving the Indian whole a semblance of respectability.
Coming in at 5, Rodrigues, who made her comeback to the facet after some time, didn’t succumb to the strain and scored some essential runs, hitting three fours and a six, with Deepti Sharma taking part in the second fiddle with a 17 off 8 balls. The second match of the collection is slated for Saturday.