Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 28 : An excellent batting performance from openers Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh has helped India Women to post their highest team total in T20I cricket during the fourth T20I of the five-match series against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday.
After being asked to bat first, Smriti Mandhana made her intention clear by hitting a boundary on the first delivery of the match.
After the end of the first two overs, India raced away to 16/0. In the third over, Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana smashed a boundary each against off-spinner Kavisha Dilhari as India were off to a flier, reaching 26/0.
In the next over, Kawya Kavindi conceded 14 runs, with Mandhana hitting two fours and Verma hammering one four.
At the end of the first power play, India scored 61/0. Mandhana and Verma also stitched their 24th 50-plus partnership in T20I cricket. It is also the most for any wicket.
In the seventh over, Mandhana completed her 10,000 runs in women's international cricket. The left-handed batter became the fourth woman batter after Mithali Raj, Suzie Bates and Charlotte Edwards and the second Indian after Mithali to achieve the 10,000-run milestone.
After the first 10 overs, India reached 85/0, with Mandhana and Verma providing a fantastic start.
Shafali Verma completed her 50 in just 30 deliveries during the 11th over. It was her third consecutive fifty in the ongoing five-match T20I series. India crossed the 100-run mark in the very same over.
Mandhana, on the other hand, reached her well-deserved fifty in 35 deliveries during the 12th over. Mandhana has 32 50-plus scores in WT20Is, the most by a batter, followed by 29 each for Suzie Bates and Beth Mooney.
Sri Lanka finally got the breakthrough after Nimasha Madushani broke a 162-run opening partnership by dismissing Shafali for 79 runs off 46 balls, including 12 fours and one six, during the second ball of the 16th over.
Mandhana departed in the very next over. Malsha Shehani dismissed her. The left-handed batter made 80 runs off 48 balls with the help of 11 fours and three sixes.
Towards the end, Richa Ghosh hammered an unbeaten 40 runs off 16 balls, including four boundaries and three sixes, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 16 off 10 balls with the help of two boundaries as India posted their highest score in T20I cricket. The hosts reached 221/2 in 20 overs, setting up a target of 222 runs.