4th T20I: Dominant India eye fourth successive win over Sri Lanka

A dominant Indian side will look to stretch its supremacy when it takes on Sri Lanka in the fourth Women’s T20I of the five-match series here on Sunday, aiming for a fourth consecutive victory. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India completely outclassed Sri Lanka, racing to a 3-0 lead without ever allowing the visitors a real foothold in the contest. The hosts’ dominance is underlined by the fact that while chasing in all three matches so far, India never batted beyond 14.4 overs, lost more than three wickets, or been set a target higher than 129. India’s bowlers have been at the heart of this commanding performance. Experienced off-spinner Deepti Sharma claimed three wickets across two matches, while pacer Renuka Singh Thakur took four at the Greenfield Stadium here on Friday. The toss has also worked in India’s favour, with Harmanpreet making the correct call each time and opting to bowl first, allowing her attack to exploit conditions before dew set in. However, the bowlers have made the most of that advantage, ensuring that no Sri Lankan batter has managed to score an individual forty in the series so far. India also used the series to test different combinations. Arundhati Reddy featured in the first two games before Renuka replaced her for the third match.“We have been trying different combinations with the (T20) World Cup (2026) in mind. We want to keep our standards high after winning the (ODI) World Cup recently. And we want our standard and performance to remain high,” Renuka said during the post-match press conference here. The batting unit has complemented the bowling brilliance with equally emphatic displays. Shafali Verma led the way, scoring a half-century to guide comfortable chase. Despite India’s overall dominance, star opener Smriti Mandhana is yet to find top gear. She has scored 40 runs across three matches, averaging 13.33 and striking at below 100. The elegant left-hander will be keen to produce a substantial innings and make a stronger impact in this contest. It also remains uncertain whether India will hand opportunities to young batter Gunalan Kamalini and seasoned campaigner Harleen Deol. With 13 members of the squad already having featured, the team management may consider giving the duo a run as well. Sri Lanka’s batting, led by veteran skipper Chamari Athapaththu, has struggled throughout the series. Apart from Athapaththu, the visitors boast promising players such as Hasini Perera, Kavisha Dilhari and Harshitha Samarawickrama, but none have delivered a match-defining performance so far. They will be hoping for a turnaround that can help revive the team’s fortunes. The Sri Lankan side will also be banking on its young bowling attack, which has so far appeared overawed by India’s skill and depth, to pose a stiffer challenge to the Indian batters in the upcoming match. Teams (from): India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma. Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika De Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Nimesha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara.The 4th match will start at 7 PM Sunday.