Dambulla (Sri Lanka), July 28 Opener Smriti Mandhana scored 60 and Richa Ghosh struck a late cameo (30 off 14 balls) as India Women came back to post 165/6 in 20 overs against Sri Lanka Women in the final of the Women's Asian Cup here on Sunday.
After skipper Harmanpreet Kaur elected to bat first, the Indian innings got off to a solid start as Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana added 44 runs for the first wicket, laying a strong foundation for a big total. Verma's dismissal came shortly after the end of Power-play as she was trapped lbw by a well-disguised googly from Kavisha Dilhari.
Despite the early setback, Mandhana continued to anchor the innings, taking full advantage of a dropped chance. The Indian vice-captain displayed her class, scoring her 26th T20I half-century. Mandhana's composed knock of 60 off 47 balls provided stability to the Indian innings.
However, the middle order failed to get going. Uma Chetry (9) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (11) failed to make significant contributions. But Mandhana's resilience ensured that India remained on track. Jemimah Rodrigues looked promising during her 29 off 16 balls but was unfortunately run out.
The turning point of the innings came in the form of Richa Ghosh's explosive cameo. Ghosh, benefiting from a controversial umpiring decision, capitalised on the opportunity and unleashed a flurry of boundaries. Her quick-fire 30 off 14 balls, studded with four boundaries and a six, gave the Indian innings the much-needed momentum towards the end.
Sri Lanka's fielding woes compounded their challenges, with a few missed opportunities and some decisions not going their way. Among the bowlers, Kavisha Dilhari stood out with two crucial wickets. Udeshikha Prabodhani, Sachini Nisansla, and Chamari Athapaththu also chipped in with a wicket each, but they couldn't stem the flow of runs.
Brief scores:
India Women 165/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhan 60, Richa Ghosh 30; Kavisha Dilhari 2-36, Sachini Nisansala 1-20) against Sri Lanka Women.
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