NEW DELHI: A determined half-century from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and a late burst from Arundhati Reddy lifted India to a competitive 175 for seven against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final women’s T20I on Tuesday.

India, chasing a 5-0 whitewash to round off a successful year, found themselves in deep trouble at 77 for five after 10 overs, before Harmanpreet anchored the innings with her first telling contribution of the series.

Skipper holds firm amid collapse

Arundhati then provided the finishing flourish, hammering four fours and a six in a brisk 11-ball 27 not out to take the hosts beyond the 150 mark.

Harmanpreet struck nine fours and a six in her 43-ball 68, showcasing her range with authoritative strokes on both sides of the wicket. Her 61-run stand for the sixth wicket with Amanjot Kaur (21) proved crucial in steadying the innings.

For much of her stay, Harmanpreet kept losing partners, which curtailed India’s hopes of a bigger total. However, her partnership with Amanjot ensured the bowlers had something substantial to defend.

Using the long handle effectively, the Indian skipper also found gaps with ease, particularly through the off side, to keep the scoreboard moving.

Early blows put India under pressure

India’s innings began on an unsteady note as the new opening pair of debutant G Kamalini and Shafali Verma failed to settle after vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was rested for the match.

Fresh from three successive fifties, Shafali (5) looked to attack early but was caught at long-on by Imesha Dulani off Nimasha Meepage in the second over.

Kamalini (12), who had struck a couple of boundaries on debut, missed a sweep off Kavisha Dilhari (2/11) and was adjudged lbw, with a review failing to overturn the decision.

With India needing stability, Harleen Deol (13) and Harmanpreet attempted to rebuild. Harleen, however, perished soon after receiving a reprieve, dragging a big shot off Rashmika Sewwandi onto her stumps.

The slide continued when Chamari Athapaththu (2/21) removed Richa Ghosh (5), caught behind, leaving India struggling at 64 for four. Deepti Sharma (7) fell soon after to the Sri Lankan captain, reducing the hosts to 77 for five before Harmanpreet and Arundhati staged the recovery.

(With PTI Inputs)