Jemimah Rodrigues Shines as India Women Secure Victory Over Sri Lanka in T20I

In a thrilling encounter, Jemimah Rodrigues played a pivotal role in India's eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first T20I match. Scoring an impressive 69 runs, she showcased her batting prowess and strategic mindset. With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, Rodrigues emphasized the team's focus on future challenges. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the need for improvement in fielding, while Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu recognized her team's batting shortcomings. This match sets the stage for an exciting series ahead.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 22, 2025, 07:13 IST

India Women Triumph in First T20I Against Sri Lanka

Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], December 22: Jemimah Rodrigues delivered an impressive performance, leading India Women to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening T20I match held in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. The Indian team successfully chased down a target of 122 runs.

Rodrigues was the star of the match, finishing with an unbeaten score of 69 runs off 44 deliveries, featuring ten boundaries. Her aggressive yet composed innings played a crucial role in ensuring India took a 1-0 lead in the series.

After being awarded Player of the Match, Rodrigues shared her thoughts on her mindset during the innings, emphasizing the need to capitalize on good form. She stated, “100 percent, that was the mindset. When the runs are coming, I need to capitalize.”

Known for her skill in finding gaps, she added, “Even if they place four to five fielders to stop that late cut, I will still find the gaps.”

Reflecting on her strategy, Rodrigues mentioned the importance of understanding the pitch conditions. “For me, it was about grasping the conditions,” she explained. “It was a bit sticky, not as flat as everyone initially thought. I was in good form, and my mindset was straightforward. I was just reacting to the ball,” she elaborated.

Looking forward, Rodrigues highlighted the team's focus on their ultimate goal, stating, “What has happened in the past is behind us. The next target is the T20 World Cup, and we aim to win that.”

She also acknowledged the preparation that went into facing Sri Lankan bowler Shashini Gimhani, noting, “Our video analysts informed us that she is very talented. I was just reacting to her deliveries and playing over the fielder.”

India's captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, expressed satisfaction with the team's overall performance but recognized areas needing improvement, particularly in fielding. “With bat and ball, we performed well. However, we need to work on our fielding. I’m not sure why we keep dropping catches,” she remarked.

Despite the challenging conditions, Harmanpreet refused to make excuses, stating, “It is wet out here, but that’s not an excuse. We need to address this. In the next match, we will return with a better approach.”

Regarding the decision to bowl first, she explained that the team wanted to ease back into competitive play after a month-long break. “We didn’t want to put ourselves under unnecessary pressure. We aimed to perform well for the team, bowl first, and see how it goes,” she added.

Sri Lanka's captain, Chamari Athapaththu, acknowledged her team's shortcomings with the bat, stating, “120 is not a competitive total. We must bounce back in the next game.”

Athapaththu noted that her team made several mistakes during the middle overs, saying, “We made too many errors in the middle. We need to play more positively.”

She also discussed the need to adapt to the conditions and take on more responsibility as captain. “We can’t let the conditions dictate our play; we must adapt. I hope we can perform better in the upcoming matches. We need to improve in several areas, especially batting. We played too defensively, and I need to lead by example. I hope the younger players step up as well,” she concluded.