Shafali Verma's Explosive Knock Powers India in T20I Chase

India are in a commanding position in their chase of 113 against Sri Lanka in the 3rd Women's T20I, largely thanks to a blistering half-century from Shafali Verma. After restricting Sri Lanka to a below-par total, India's opening pair came out with intent, with Verma leading the charge.

Sri Lanka's innings never gained significant momentum, hampered by consistent pressure from the Indian bowlers. Renuka Singh spearheaded the attack, making early inroads by dismissing both openers and disrupting Sri Lanka's top order. Her ability to generate pace and movement proved crucial in keeping the scoring rate down. While Hasini Perera showed promise early on, her dismissal triggered a collapse, leaving Sri Lanka struggling to recover.

The middle overs saw brief resistance from Imesha Dulani and Kavisha Dilhari, who attempted to accelerate the scoring with sweep shots and lofted drives. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Deepti Sharma intervened, breaking their partnership and claiming her 150th T20I wicket. Sharma's crucial breakthroughs prevented Sri Lanka from building any substantial partnerships and gaining momentum. The Indian bowlers maintained discipline in the final overs, utilizing slower balls and precise lines to restrict Sri Lanka to 112 for 7.

Amanjot Kaur closed out the innings with a controlled final over, despite a late boundary from Kaushani Nuthyangana. Sri Lanka's attempts to scramble for runs were largely unsuccessful, as the Indian bowlers effectively contained the scoring. The seven runs conceded in the final over highlighted India's dominance in the latter stages of the innings.

In response, India's chase has been fueled by Shafali Verma's aggressive approach. Verma immediately put the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure, particularly targeting the spin attack. She took a liking to Nimesha, scoring 19 runs off her over, including three boundaries and a six. This aggressive approach allowed India to reach 46 runs in the first 5 overs, with 44 of those runs coming from Verma's bat.

Smriti Mandhana's dismissal in the fourth over, falling to Kaveesha Dilhari, provided a minor setback. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Verma continued her assault, reaching her half-century in the sixth over. Her innings included a mix of power hitting and well-placed shots, showcasing her ability to adapt to different bowling styles. Jemimah Rodrigues provided a steady presence at the other end, rotating the strike and allowing Verma to continue her attack.

At the time of reporting, India are 60 for 1 in 7 overs, with Shafali Verma unbeaten on 53 and Jemimah Rodrigues on 3. India needs another 53 runs to win with 9 wickets remaining.

Editor’s note: This article was independently written by the Scoopliner Editorial Team using publicly available information.