INDW vs SLW: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma shine as India go 4-0 in T20I series

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma turned Thiruvananthapuram's Greenfield International Stadium into a spectacle on Sunday, blasting twin assaults before Richa Ghosh’s blistering 16-ball 40 provided the finishing flourish as India torpedoed to 221/2 — their highest WT20I total — after being asked to bat first.Yet the visitors refused to fold quietly. For the first time in the five-match series, Sri Lanka fought back, riding on Hasini Perera’s fearless 20-ball 33 and Chamari Athapaththu's authoritative 52 to put India under genuine pressure. The hosts were jolted out of their comfort zone, confronting resistance they hadn’t faced so far in the series.Despite the strong start, Sri Lanka found 222 beyond reach, falling short by 30 runs as India claimed a comprehensive 4-0 series lead.Imesha Dulani chipped in with 29 off 28, while Harshitha Samarawickrama began aggressively, slapping a six over midwicket off Shree Charani, before falling for 20. Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshika Silva tried to stabilise, but India’s fielding lapses — four dropped catches and a missed stumping — meant Sri Lanka remained competitive for longer than expected.For India, the victory was orchestrated by their openers. On a night when Smriti’s bat finally found its familiar thunder, her return to form was briefly overshadowed by Shafali’s audacity. Chasing momentum rather than runs, India raced to 162 in 15.2 overs, courtesy an opening stand that was part power, part poetry. Shafali peppered the off side with crisp drives and cleared the infield at will, shellacking a 46-ball 79, underlining her fearless intent.Mandhana, after a lean run of 40 runs across three innings in the series, roared back with a 48-ball 80, timing the ball sweetly, finding gaps effortlessly, and punishing anything loose. Eleven fours and three towering sixes punctuated her measured, elegant innings, providing the melody to Shafali’s fireworks. By the time the openers walked off, India’s middle order, led by Richa and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, propelled the score past the 200 run-mark.The opening duo notched up the highest partnership in Indian women’s T20I history, eclipsing the 143-run stand against West Indies in 2019. “The conversation is simple,” Smriti said at the post-match presentation. “We just tell each other to watch the ball. We wanted to keep Shafali on strike, as she wanted to hit every ball for six.”