Melbourne: Riding on Shafali Verma's 47 and Radha Yadav's four-fer, Indian eves defeated Sri Lanka by seven wickets to continue their winning streak in the ongoing T20 World Cup. With this win, India finish as Group A toppers with eight points.
Chasing a modest target of 114, Indian openers were off to a flyer as they stitched on a 34-run partnership before Smriti Mandhana (17) was caught by Kavisha Dilhari off Udeshika Prabodhani's delivery.
Harmanpreet Kaur (15) promoted herself to number three as she along with Shafali stitched on a 47-run partnership for the second wicket. The Indian skipper perished off Shashikala Siriwardene's delivery as she tried to hit a six. Teenage sensation Shafali soon found herself short of the crease as she was run out by a combined effort of Kavisha Dilhari and Anushka Sanjeewani.
The duo of Jemimah Rodrigues (15*) and Deepti Sharma (15*) then ensured that India win the match comfortably by seven wickets.
Sri Lanka's Siriwardene and Prabodhani both picked a wicket apiece.
Earlier, Indian eves continued their impressive run in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup as they restricted Sri Lanka to 113/9 in 20 overs.
After being asked to field first by Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Atapattu in India's fourth and final league match of the ongoing World Cup, India bowlers started off well dismissing Umesha Thimashini (2) in the third over.
Harshitha Madavi (12) was then sent back to pavilion in the eighth over by Rajeshwari Gayakwad after being adjudged leg before wicket. Chamari (33) was the next batsman to be dismissed as she was caught by Shikha Pandey off Radha Yadav's delivery.
A flurry of wickets soon followed as Sri Lanka soon found themselves from 48 for the loss of 3 wickets in the ninth over to 80 for seven in the 16th over. A 24-run partnership between Nilakshi de Silva (8) and Kavisha Dilhari (25*) ensured the Lankans reach the 100-run mark.
At the end, the Lankans managed to post a total of 113/9 in their alloted 20 overs.
For India, Radha Yadav was the pick of the bowlers as she dismissed four batsmen while giving away just 23 runs. Gayakwad meanwhile picked two wickets after giving away 18 runs. The trio of Deepti Sharma, Shikha Pandey and Poonam Yadav picked one wicket apiece.
India will now play second placed team from Group B on March 5th.
