Visakhapatnam is ready for the second T20I between India and Sri Lanka. Just before the game, India got some bad news.
Deepti Sharma, who just became the top T20I bowler in the world, won't be playing today. Team officials said she has a slight fever and isn't well enough to play.
For the second time in a row, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss. It seems the coin is finally favoring her, something she found amusing. At the toss, she cracked a joke, admitting with a smile that winning the toss is not my cup of tea usually, but she wasn't complaining today!
Sticking to the formula that worked perfectly in the first game, Harmanpreet decided to bowl first. The decision was a no brainer the dew factor in Visakhapatnam is heavy, making chasing much easier later in the evening. India will be looking to replicate their dominance from Sunday, where they cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory at this same venue.
With Deepti unavailable, India has brought in the experienced off-spin all-rounder Sneh Rana into the playing XI.
Rana has had a mixed year so far; she featured in four of the five T20Is during the England tour earlier this year but went wicketless in those outings. Today gives her a massive opportunity to prove her mettle on home soil. Interestingly, India’s batting depth looks deeper than ever. The team sheet lists Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, and N Shree Charani at Nos. 9, 10, and 11, suggesting that India is experimenting with a lineup that can bat right down to the last player.
On the other side, Sri Lanka has decided not to panic. Despite being thoroughly outplayed with both bat and ball in the series opener, they have named an unchanged XI.
All eyes will be on the young ambidextrous wrist-spinner Shashini Gimhani. She had a tough outing in the first game, conceding 32 runs in just two overs. However, the Sri Lankan management has shown faith in her talent, giving her another crack at the Indian lineup. The challenge for her, and the rest of the Sri Lankan bowlers, will once again be gripping the wet ball against India’s powerful hitters.
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