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NEW DELHI: Jemimah Rodrigues showcased class and composure with a fluent unbeaten 69 off 44 balls as India thrashed Sri Lanka by eight wickets in the opening Women’s T20I on Sunday.

After choosing to bowl, India kept Sri Lanka to 121 for six as the visitors struggled to capitalise on loose deliveries despite dew setting in early. The Indian bowlers remained composed and stuck to their plans to choke the scoring.

Chase wrapped up with ease

India overhauled the 122-run target with 32 balls to spare. Rodrigues shared key partnerships of 54 runs with Smriti Mandhana, who scored 25 off 25 balls, and 55 with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who stayed unbeaten on 15 off 16 deliveries.

While Rodrigues played several elegant strokes, the standout moment of her innings came when she struck four boundaries in a single over off left arm wrist spinner Shashini Gimhani, effectively sealing the contest.

Shafali Verma gave India a brisk start with three boundaries in the opening over. However, her innings was cut short when she lofted Kawya Kavindi into the air and Gimhani completed a sharp catch.

Mandhana rode her luck early as a thick inside edge off Kawya raced to the boundary. Rodrigues soon joined the act, using a late cut off Malki Madara to find the fence.

Mandhana milestone before exit

With India at 30 for one after four overs, Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu brought herself on. Mandhana responded with two crisp boundaries, including a lofted shot over extra cover that took her past 4000 T20I runs. Inoka Ranaweera eventually ended her stay, but by then India were firmly in control.

Earlier, Vishmi Gunaratne top scored for Sri Lanka with a patient 39 off 43 balls. Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama added 20 and 21 respectively but failed to push on.

Athapaththu began positively with a boundary off Kranti Gaud but Deepti Sharma produced a moment of brilliance in the field to save a certain four. Athapaththu then struck two more boundaries before Gaud adjusted her angle and bowled the Sri Lankan skipper through the gate for India’s first wicket.

Spin keeps things tight

Hasini found a boundary at fine leg before Harmanpreet introduced Deepti inside the powerplay. Deepti bowled a maiden as Sri Lanka crawled to 31 for one at the end of six overs.

Debutant Vaishnavi Sharma impressed with a tidy spell, conceding just 16 runs in her four overs. She gave away only three runs in her first over, showing good control on debut.

Hasini survived a chance when Shree Charani dropped her at short fine leg, denying Vaishnavi a potential maiden wicket. However, Hasini fell soon after, picking out Gaud at short third while attempting a reverse sweep off Deepti.

With dew making grip difficult, the Indian bowlers still managed to restrict Sri Lanka to 55 for two after 10 overs. Charani later had another tough moment in the field, dropping Harshitha Madavi off Arundhati Reddy, but the missed chances did not hurt India in a one-sided contest.

(With PTI Inputs)