Shafali Verma's Explosive Performance Leads India to Victory Over Sri Lanka in T20I

In a thrilling second T20I match, Shafali Verma's outstanding performance propelled India to a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, securing a 2-0 lead in the series. Verma's unbeaten 69 runs off 34 balls showcased her explosive batting skills, while India's bowlers effectively restricted Sri Lanka to 128 runs. The match highlighted India's dominance in the series, with Verma and her teammates delivering an impressive display of cricket. Read on to discover the key moments and performances that defined this exciting encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 23, 2025, 22:35 IST

India Dominates Sri Lanka in Second T20I

In Visakhapatnam, India showcased a remarkable performance, successfully chasing down a target of 129 runs in just 11.5 overs against Sri Lanka during the second T20I on Tuesday. The victory by seven wickets puts India ahead 2-0 in the five-match series.

Shafali Verma was the star of the match, remaining unbeaten on 69 runs off just 34 balls, which included eleven boundaries and a six. Smriti Mandhana contributed early on but was dismissed for 14 runs off 11 balls, with India losing their first wicket at a score of 29.

After Mandhana's exit, Jemimah Rodrigues joined Verma, and the pair quickly accelerated the scoring, propelling India to 68 runs during the powerplay. Their aggressive batting kept the run rate significantly above what was needed.

Verma and Rodrigues formed a solid partnership, adding 58 runs for the second wicket before Rodrigues was out for 26 runs off 15 balls, which featured four fours and a six.

Verma maintained her aggressive style throughout the innings. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur came in after Rodrigues but was dismissed by Malki Madara with just one run needed for victory.

For Sri Lanka, Kavisha Dilhari, Kawya Kavindi, and Malki Madara each took a wicket, with Dilhari achieving figures of 1/15 in two overs, Madara 1/22 in 2.5 overs, and Kavindi 1/32 in three overs.

Earlier, India's bowlers, particularly Vaishnavi Sharma and Shree Charani, were instrumental in limiting Sri Lanka to 128 runs for 9 wickets in their 20 overs.

India won the toss and opted to bowl first. Pacer Kranti Gaud made an immediate impact by dismissing Sri Lanka's opener Vishmi Gunaratne for just one run, caught and bowled. Sri Lanka found themselves at 2/1 after the first over.

Hasini Perera and captain Chamari Athapaththu then attempted to stabilize the innings, with Chamari hitting a four and a six against Gaud in the third over, scoring a total of 13 runs.

However, a slower delivery from spinner Sneh Rana led to Chamari's dismissal for 31 runs off 24 balls, including three fours and two sixes, leaving Sri Lanka at 38/2.

Sri Lanka concluded their powerplay at 39/2, with Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera both at the crease.

In the eighth over, Harshitha Madavi struck three consecutive fours against Vaishnavi Sharma, bringing the team's score to 50 in 7.4 overs.

The pair built a solid partnership, reaching 66/2 at the halfway mark of their innings, with Harshitha on 15 and Hasini on 17.

However, Shree Charani's caught-and-bowled dismissal of Hasini for 22 runs (28 balls) shifted the momentum, leaving Sri Lanka at 82/3.

Sri Lanka managed to reach the 100-run mark in 16.1 overs, but Amanjot Kaur's brilliant run-out of Harshitha for 33 runs (32 balls) further dented their innings.

Vaishnavi Sharma claimed her first international wicket by dismissing Nilakshi de Silva for just two runs, leaving Sri Lanka at 109/5.

Wickets continued to tumble for Sri Lanka, with Charani and Vaishnavi each taking crucial wickets, and the team ultimately finished their innings at 128/9.

Charani and Vaishnavi were the standout bowlers for India, with figures of 2/23 and 2/31, respectively.

In summary, Sri Lanka Women scored 128/9 in 20 overs, with Harshitha Samarawickrama top-scoring with 33 runs and Chamari Athapaththu contributing 31 runs, while India Women chased down the target with a score of 129/3 in 11.5 overs, led by Shafali Verma's explosive 69 not out.