India Women secured a convincing eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women in the third T20I at Thiruvananthapuram, clinching the five-match series with an unassailable 3-0 lead. Shafali Verma's explosive unbeaten 79 off just 42 balls was the highlight of the match, as she single-handedly guided India to the modest target of 113 with nearly seven overs to spare.
After winning the toss and electing to bowl, India's bowlers put on a disciplined performance to restrict Sri Lanka to a below-par 112/7. Renuka Thakur was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 21 runs, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with three crucial wickets, including her 150th in T20Is. Sri Lanka's batting lineup struggled against the Indian attack, with only Imesha Dulani (27) and Kavisha Dilhari (20) offering some resistance.
Chasing 113, India lost Smriti Mandhana early, but Shafali Verma took charge from the outset. She started with a flurry of boundaries, reaching her half-century in just 24 balls. Her aggressive knock, studded with eight fours and two sixes, completely demoralised the Sri Lankan bowlers. Despite Jemimah Rodrigues' dismissal, Shafali continued her onslaught, ensuring a comfortable victory for India in just 13.2 overs.
With this win, India Women have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The final two matches, scheduled for December 28 and 30, will now be of academic interest. India's dominant performance throughout the series has once again highlighted their strength and depth in the T20 format.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 112/7 in 20 overs (Kavisha Dilhari 20; Renuka Singh 4-21; Deepti Sharma 3-18) lost to India 115/2 in 13.2 overs (Shafali Verma 79*; Kavisha Dilhari 2-18) by eight wickets.
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