Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 28 Harleen Deol and Arundhati Reddy have been drafted into India’s playing eleven, as Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bowl first in the fourth T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday. India already has an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-game series.
It’s the first time India will bat in the series, after electing to bowl, and then using dew to their advantage to chase down modest totals without breaking a sweat. Harleen comes in for an unwell Jemimah Rodrigues, while Arundhati, who played in the first two games in Visakhapatnam, replaces a rested Kranti Gaud.
“We were looking to bat today. This is an ideal series to give everyone a chance. Glad it is all coming to plan. I'm really happy everyone is coming up and giving their best. I am not putting any target in mind. Hopefully, we set a good total,” said India captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, who is playing her 150th T20I, said Rashmika Sewwandi and Kawya Kavindi come into their playing eleven in place of the rested duo Malki Madara and Inoka Ranaweera.
“We batted first in the last three matches. Chasing will be a little bit easier with the dew coming in. We have to play our best cricket. 140 will be a good score to chase,” she said.
Sunday’s match will be played on pitch number seven, with square boundaries measuring 59m and 60m, while the straight boundary is 70m. As per Mithali Raj and Shebani Bhaskar, the pitch appears browner than it was in the previous game, with some grass shaved off, offering good conditions for batting but also assistance to seamers if they maintain a disciplined 6-8m length targeting the stumps.
Playing XIs:
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Vaishnavi Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Sree Charani
Sri Lanka: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Malsha Shehani, Rashmika Sewwandi, Kawya Kavindi, and Nimesha Madushani
--IANS
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