Women's Asia Cup 2022, India demolish Sri Lanka: Key stats
India Women annihilated Sri Lankan with a 41-run-win in their opening game in the Women's Asia Cup on Saturday. Jemimah Rodrigues (76) proved to be a handful, guiding INDW to 150/6. Right-arm quick Oshadi Ranasinghe (3/32) punched early inroads to put India under the pump. Credit to the Indian spinners later, the 151-run chase seemed out of the equation for SLW (109/10). Here's more.
How did the match pan out?
India lost Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana within four overs. INDW, who were reeling on 23/2, found an able stand between Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur. The duo stitched a 92-run stand for the third wicket. Ranasinghe's last over blitz contained INDW to 150/6. In response, SLW lost wickets frequently to throw away the game. Hasini Perera (30) was the lone warrior in their innings.
Rodrigues takes the Lankans by storm
Rodrigues, who smacked the second-most runs for India in the Commonwealth Games, obliterated the Lankan bowlers. She scored a crunch 53-ball 76, hitting 11 fours and six. She clocked her 16th WT20I fifty. With that, Rodrigues has raced to 1,349 runs (SR 112.98). As per Kausthub Gudipati, she now holds the highest score by INDW against Sri Lanka in T20Is, bettering Mithali Raj's 67.
Harmanpreet climbs up the ladder
With two wickets down, India needed a partnership to keep the Lankans at bay. Skipper Harmanpreet aced the role yet again, adding 33 runs to the third wicket, with two sixes and a four. The right-hander was stumped out by Ranasinghe, but the job was done. Harmanpreet, who now owns 2,635 runs, has surpassed England's Charlotte Edwards (2,605) to be the sixth-highest run-getter (WT20Is).
A look at other records
Ranasinghe now holds 48 T20I scalps at 21.22, thanks to her three-fer. She has trumped Australia's Sarah Coyte (47) on the overall list. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma (2/15) put up a clinical show, racing to 70 scalps at 21.52. Meanwhile, Dayalan Hemalatha (3/15) bagged the best figures for INDW to tally eight WT20I wickets at 11.87. Right-arm medium Pooja Vastrakar (2/12) was top class too.
INDW extend the H2H lead over SLW
INDW now boast a commanding 17-4 win-loss record against SLW in WT20Is (NR: 1). The Women in Blue (NRR +2.050) are currently seated second in the Women's Asia Cup standings, behind Bangladesh (+3.443), who bested Thailand by nine wickets. INDW will face Malaysia on Monday.
