India Women Opt to Bowl First in 3rd T20I Against Sri Lanka

In the third T20I against Sri Lanka, India Women, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, opted to field first after winning the toss. Deepti Sharma returns to the squad after recovering from illness. India leads the series 2-0 following a dominant performance in the previous match, where Shafali Verma's explosive 69 runs helped secure a seven-wicket victory. The disciplined bowling attack kept Sri Lanka to a modest total, setting the stage for another potential win.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 26, 2025, 19:29 IST

India Women Choose to Field in 3rd T20I, Deepti Sharma Returns

On Thursday, the Indian women's cricket team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, won the toss and opted to field first in the third T20I of the five-match series against Sri Lanka. Deepti Sharma, an off-spin bowling all-rounder, made her return to the squad after recovering from a mild fever that kept her out of the second T20I in Visakhapatnam. Currently, India leads the series 2-0, having won the first two matches.

Summary of the 2nd T20I Win

In the second T20I held on Tuesday, India achieved a convincing seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka.

Shafali Verma's Explosive Performance

During the chase for a target of 129, Shafali Verma was the standout performer, scoring an impressive unbeaten 69 runs off just 34 balls, which included 11 fours and a six. Smriti Mandhana contributed 14 runs before her dismissal, while Jemimah Rodrigues added 26 runs from 15 balls. India successfully reached the target in only 11.5 overs, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur coming in after Rodrigues was out and finishing the game shortly after.

Effective Bowling Limits Sri Lanka's Score

Sri Lanka managed to score 128 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in their 20 overs, with Chamari Athapaththu being the top scorer with 31 runs off 24 balls, and Harshitha Madavi contributing 33 runs off 32 balls. India's bowlers, particularly Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani, each took two wickets, while Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, and Amanjot Kaur made crucial run-outs, effectively controlling Sri Lanka's innings. Their disciplined bowling and sharp fielding ensured that Sri Lanka's total was kept to a manageable level, paving the way for an easy chase.

Playing XIs

India Women (Playing XI): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani.

Sri Lanka Women (Playing XI): Chamari Athapaththu(c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Imesha Dulani, Kaushani Nuthyangana(w), Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Malki Madara, Nimesha Madushani.