Thiruvananthapuram – The Indian cricket women’s team compiled with a stunning performance during the 5 match T20 International (T20I) series with Sri Lanka with a comprehensive whitewash of 5-0, which culminated with a 15-run victory five and the last game on the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The series was capped off by an historic personal achievement when the all-rounder of India Deepti Sharma was the top female wicket taker in T20I history in the final game.
India Batting Sets Competitive Target
India took the lead in toss, and chose for a batsman in the fifth T20I with a spirited total of 175-7 in their 20-over allotment. The skipper Harmanpreet Kaur played a pivotal role in the game, anchoring the innings with a well-controlled and confident 42 balls for a 68-run score that included well-timed boundaries, as well as aggressively fought off Sri Lankan bowlers. Her efforts helped stabilize the Indian team after early slowdowns and created a base for a rapid pace in the final phases.
Harmanpreet’s innings was enhanced by a late-order explosion by Arundhati Reddy, who struck unbeaten 27 off 11 deliveries, which included five boundaries as well as a sixth. This lifted India past a score that was a challenge to India’s Sri Lankan side. Despite the initial struggle with the loss of some key top order batters India’s lower order added important runs to make sure they had an attainable total.
Sri Lanka Fight Back but Fall Short
In the retaliation, Sri Lanka showed resilience by bringing in notable contributions from their batsmen. Hasini Perera was the leader of the chase with a spirited 70 off just 42 deliveries and Imesha Dulani also made a impressive 50 off just 39 deliveries. The half-centuries helped keep Sri Lanka in contention for most of the innings however, the run rate required was escalating as India’s bowlers put on continuous pressure.
Despite the efforts of Perera or Dulani, Sri Lanka managed just 160 runs for seven during their 20-over innings, and fell just 15 runs off their desired target. Regular breaks by the Indian bowling team stopped any significant partnerships from emerging in the middle overs, eventually limiting Sri Lanka’s pursuit.
Deepti Sharma Breaks Women’s T20I Wicket Record
The pivotal moment in the series took place in the Sri Lankan innings when Deepti Sharma took out Nilakshika’s Silva in the 14th over, claiming her the 152nd wickets in female T20I cricket, beating the Australian’s Megan Schutt to become the most prolific wicket-taker in the format. This was a significant achievement in women’s cricket and highlighted Deepti’s consistent performances and long-term commitment to the sport at the highest levels.
Deepti’s record-breaking score occurred at a point in the game where Sri Lanka was still vying for momentum. Her breakthrough was a pivotal moment that allowed India keep control of the game. By achieving this feat she set the bar for bowlers who play in the shortest format, as well as bolstered her place in the game.
India’s Bowling Unit Dominates Series
India’s bowling attack showed skill and precision during this T20I match, with several bowlers providing consistently. In the final game the entire team of six bowlers employed by India were successful in claiming wickets, which demonstrates the effectiveness of a well-balanced and efficient unit that can adapt to changing conditions and the strengths of batters.
While Deepti Sharma’s record-breaking feat attracted considerable attention, other bowlers performed impressive spells in crucial occasions. The capability to apply pressure with tightly-lined lines and disciplined variations made sure that Sri Lanka struggled to build an unstoppable momentum over a variety of matches.
Key Performances Across the Series
India’s sweep of the series was based by a combination of powerful batsmanship, smart bowling and a quick fielding. In earlier matches there were several Indian batters displayed impressive performances. For the 4th T20I, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put together an unprecedented partnership of 162 for the first wicket, guiding India to their best-ever ladies’ T20I score of 221 runs for 2.
The opening stand of 162 runs in that game became the most successful score for any wicket played by India in T20Is for women and contributed significantly to India’s dominating victory by 30 runs at the end of game four. This performance demonstrated the strength and power of India’s batsmen throughout the entire series.
In addition to scoring high-scoring scores, India secured early series dominance by winning a sweeping majority of the opening matches. The second T20I, Shafali Verma’s aggressive 69 off just 34 balls was the mainstay of India’s seven-wicket victory as well as Renuka Singh as well as Shree Charani crafted effective bowling to limit Sri Lanka’s contribution to the batting.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s Leadership and Impact
In the course of the series, Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership was crucially in the success of India. Her savvy in the field was evident during the final game when her calm half-century anchored the pace and set the base for India to score a decent total. Her intelligent field positionings and bowling rotastics were crucial in ensuring pressure was maintained on Sri Lankan batters.
Harmanpreet’s performance as the player of the match during the last T20I also highlighted her double role as captain and a leading batter in a pivotal part within the Indian women’s team.
Sri Lanka’s Competitive Efforts
Although Sri Lanka was unable to get a victory during the tournament, its performance showed some promising moments especially in the area of batting. Hasini Perera’s and Imesha dulani’s half-centuries during the final match showed the team’s ability perform under pressure and create an effective innings despite numerous breakthroughs by their Indian bowlers.
In the course of the series, Sri Lanka’s bowlers faced challenges at times, but they were generally not able to keep a lid on India’s batters, or stop substantial partnerships from emerging. The continued efforts to field and tactical execution identified areas of improvement while Sri Lanka looks to build on the lessons learned of this series.
Historical Context and Series Significance
India’s clean sweep of 5-0 marked the third time in a row that the Indian women have had this feat in five matches of a T20I series after similar sweeps with the West Indies in 2019 and Bangladesh in 2024. This feat is proof of the Indian team’s continued success when it comes to this T20I format, especially when playing at home.
The sweep also extended the unbeaten run of India with Sri Lanka in T20Is, emphasizing their strategic superiority and their ability to perform consistently regardless of the match situation. The series was a part of India’s 2025 calendar that was successful that included the ICC Women’s ODI World Championship early in the season, consolidating their status in international women’s cricket.
Final Match Scorecard Highlights
For the 5th and last T20I the Indian innings of 175-7 included significant contributions from lower and top order players which allowed them to achieve the target of a difficult one. Sri Lanka’s reply of 160 for 7 included an impressive batting performance, but it was lacking the consistency required to break India’s score. Deepti Sharma’s world record breaking wicket proved among the most important turning points of the game.
The complete series of India’s performance has showed the efficiency of their team’s depth as well as their strategic planning and implementation, which set a high precedent for future international matches on the cricket schedule for female players.