India secured an eight-wicket win in the first T20I but dropped several catches
Jemimah Rodrigues continued her outstanding form, while young spinner Vaishnavi Sharma impressed
With tougher tours ahead, including Australia after the WPL, India’s senior batters will look for sterner tests
The India Women’s cricket team will aim to lift their fielding standards and consolidate their dominant start to the series when they take on Sri Lanka Women in the second T20I at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam, on Tuesday, December 23.
Fresh off a historic ICC Women’s World Cup triumph last month, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side made a winning return to international cricket with a commanding eight-wicket victory in the series opener.
While India barely broke a sweat with bat or ball, concerns around fielding and catching emerged despite restricting Sri Lanka to a modest 121/6.
Harmanpreet Kaur Demands Improvement In Fielding
India’s bowlers executed their plans effectively in the first T20I, but a series of dropped chances allowed Sri Lanka to avoid an even lower total. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the lapse and stressed the need for immediate improvement.
“We are working on our fielding. Don’t know why we keep dropping catches. It is wet out here, but it is not an excuse. That is something we really need to think about. In the next match, we will come about with a better approach,” Harmanpreet said after the win.
The Indian team returned to action after a well-earned six-week break following their World Cup success. A week-long camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru preceded the series, and some rustiness – particularly in the field – was not unexpected.
“We are playing after a month. We don’t want to unnecessarily challenge ourselves. We just want to do well for the team,” Harmanpreet added. “We just wanted to bowl first and see how it goes. We wanted to show the better approach.”
Rodrigues Shines, Young Vaishnavi Impresses
On paper, India remain overwhelming favourites against the Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lankan side, and the opening match reinforced that gap.
Jemimah Rodrigues, in the form of her life, picked up right where she left off during the World Cup triumph. She looked fluent and authoritative, particularly against left-arm wrist spinner Shashini Gimhani, a rare commodity in women’s cricket. Gimhani struggled with her lengths, bowling too full, and Rodrigues punished her with six boundaries.
One of India’s biggest positives was 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who was recently overlooked at the Women’s Premier League auctions. Though wicketless, Vaishnavi delivered an impressive spell, conceding just 16 runs without a single boundary.
Key Players Eye Tougher Tests Ahead
For Shafali Verma, the series presents an important opportunity to find greater consistency in a format that suits her natural attacking game. Sri Lanka’s below-par display in the opening match meant India’s batting unit was not fully tested.
However, batters such as Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma will be keen for sterner challenges as the team builds towards a demanding tour of Australia following the conclusion of the Women’s Premier League.
IND-W Vs SL-W 2nd T20I: Full Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika De Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Nimesha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara.
(With PTI Inputs)
