SLW beat INDW in third T20I, lose series: Key stats
Sri Lanka Women defeated India Women in the third and final T20I by seven wickets. The hosts successfully chased 139, with skipper Chamari Athapaththu leading from the front. However, it was a consolation win for the Lankans, who lost the series 2-1. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur starred in the third game too, having slammed an unbeaten 39 (33). Here are the key stats.
India Women racked up 138/5 after electing to bat first. Smriti Mandhana started well, while top-order batter Sabbhineni Meghana joined her for a while. Jemimah Rodrigues added 64 runs with Harmanpreet. A 13-run cameo by Pooja Vastrakar helped India post a challenging total. SL lost two quick wickets in the run-chase. However, skipper Chamari Athapaththu and Nilakshi de Silva paved the way for them.
SL captain Athapaththu led by example in the third T20I. She smashed an unbeaten 80 off 48 balls (14 fours and 1 six) as the Lankans completed the run-chase in 17 overs. It was her fifth half-century in WT20Is. In the process, Athapaththu raced to 2,000 runs in the format. She became the first SL woman to achieve this feat.
After playing impactful knocks in the first two T20Is, Harmanpreet shone in the final match too. She was India's top-scorer (39 off 33 balls). Harmanpreet was adjudged the Player of the Series for her scintillating performances. She finished as India's leading run-scorer of the series (92 at a strike rate of 108.24). Harmanpreet's scores in the series read as 22, 31*, and 39*.
Sri Lanka Women have won a T20I against India for the first time since March 2014. Interestingly, India were unbeaten in the last 12 T20Is against Sri Lanka. They now have a win-loss record of 16-4 against SL in the shortest format.
Sri Lanka Women registered their second-highest successful run-chase in T20I cricket today. Notably, their highest successful T20I chase in also against India (148 v IND in 2014). SLW have also chased down 118 vs India in 2014 and 111 vs Pakistan in 2015.
