India vs Sri Lanka Highlights, Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: IND demolish SL by 82 runs, Mandhana-Kaur sparkle with fifties

Harmanpreet Kaur: We just wanted to go with the momentum. Smriti and Shafali gave us a very good start. We discussed that, we didn’t want to throw our wickets away. That’s exactly what the openers did and gave us that platform. Jemi and I just wanted to get 7-8 runs an over, and we just went with the flow. It was one of those days where I was in my zone, I was thinking positively and hitting anything that was in my zone. These wickets aren’t very true for batting. You have to keep rotating strike and only when the ball is in the zone can you swing your bat. We were there today for the team, we trusted ourselves and were rotating strike, and that’s what worked for us.

Deepti Sharma to close things off for India. It was a must-win game for both teams and India ate those two points tonight, not leaving any crumbs. First up, big batting performance inspired by the skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana followed by a total demolition job executed by the bowlers. Just the kind of complete performance they'd need to fuel them up ahead of the big one on Sunday against the defending champions. For tonight, it's a win by 82 runs.

Arundhati Reddy to bowl the penultimate over of the game. Sri Lanka have been out of this chase from the get go. And Ama Kanchana's stand (19 off 22 comes to an end). Barely survived the first delivery and is gone on the next. Went for the slog sweep and finds Radha Yadav in the deep. India just a wicket away from a big win. Sri Lanka, 88/9 after 19 overs.

Tidy over Deepti Sharma but India are not able to close this innings out just yet. After the LBW decision was overturned, there was a run out appeal from India but Kanchana has just crossed the line. 

Prabodhani gets a second life after being given out. Looked plumb in real time but the turn is sharp enough to miss the stumps. Good review. 

Kanchana starts and finishes the over with a boundary each as Sri Lanka are making a late dent into India's victory margin. There was a run out chance missed in that over by India too. Just getting a bit sloppy at the end of a good night. 

Smriti turns to Deepti Sharma. 

India need to make sure they don't take their foot off the pedals. Every run still matters here as they hope to win by as big a margin as possible. 

4-0-15-1 for Shreyanka Patil who once again has been impressive. India use up a review in that over asking for a caught behind. 

Asha finishes with fine bowling figures of 4-0-19-3. She has been consistently picking up wickets since making her late debut. 

Asha has her third! Sweep shot, straight to the fielder at deep square leg. Radha, still on as a sub fielder, has another catch. 

Inoshi Priyadharshani c Radha Yadav b Asha Sobhana 1 (2 balls)

Just three singles in Arundhati's over as they show the catching efficiency again on air. India's catching today has pushed them past 80% at the top of the chart. 

For what it is worth, Harmanpreet Kaur still hasn't come out to field. Her neck must be acting up again, you imagine. India will be desperately hoping she didn't aggravate it badly. 

RICHA GHOSH, SUPER CATCH: For the second time in this tournament, Richa takes a fine catch off an edge, this time diving forward. Against Pakistan, she did so diving to her right. Asha the bowler again. 

Sugandika Kumari c Richa Ghosh b Asha Sobhana 1 (4 balls)

Two in the same over! Arundhati once again among the wickets. Attempted sweep, she has been unlucky so far in the tournament with catches getting dropped but this time Renuka takes a really solid catch at short fine leg. 

Kavisha Dilhari c Renuka Singh b Arundhati Reddy 21 (22 balls)

There you go. Change of pace. Roll of the fingers across the seam, attacking the stumps and induces a leading edge. Easy catch for Shafali. 

Nilakshika Silva c Shafali Verma b Arundhati Reddy 8 (13 balls)

Shreyanka comes back for her 3rd over and concedes just 2 singles. 

Arundhati Reddy, after an expensive opening over, will want to make amends here. Expect changes of pace. 

Halfway stage, and India will want to take a few more wickets here quickly. Sri Lanka don't have a deep batting lineup but Kavisha is capable of pushing Sri Lanka's total here. Ideally, India need a 50-run win margin to go past New Zealand's NRR at least 

Smart work by Richa! Sanjeewani dances down the track but Asha gets one to turn away from length. As the batter tries to drag her backfoot over the crease, the feet almost seems to get stuck. A fair few replays needed but the Indian keeper was always confident. 

Anushka Sanjeewani st Richa Ghosh b Asha Sobhana 20 (22 balls)

A big over for Sri Lanka as Sanjeewani goes after Arundhati. Crisp sound off the bat as she nailed a lofted flick. A great fielding effort from Shreyanka in trying to go for a catch off a lofted shot from Dilhari a couple of deliveries later, but goes for four. 

Deepti Sharma finishes the powerplay with a 7-run over. Dilhari with a lofted shot down the ground for three. 

But a great powerplay for India. 

A bunch of leg byes in that Renuka over as she bowls three straight in the powerplay, 3-0-6-2 for her so far, top start. 

For all the talk about India's catching, a stat comes up on screen that they have the best catching efficiency of the tournament. 

Sanjeewani with a fine sweep for four as Shreyanka strayed down the leg side. A decent over for Sri Lanka but they need so much more to save their tournament here. 

Meanwhile still looks like Harmanpreet is off the field, Smriti calling the shots. 

India have been smart with fielding placements too, knowing when to move Richa forward and back. The left-hander was likely to get an outside edge with the movement Renuka gets, so Richa stayed back. 

Also, a correction, the dismissal from Shreyanka off Chamari was off a ball that gripped and turned. 4.4 degrees of turn. 

WHAT A START FOR INDIA: Renuka has her 2nd wicket, this goes with the angle, and the left-handed Harshitha gets an outside edge. Richa is standing back and takes a simple catch. 

Harshitha Samarawickrama c Richa Ghosh b Renuka Singh 3 (7 balls)

SHREYANKA STRIKES: And it is the big wicket of Chamari! The SL captain has had a poor tournament and she seems to be quite emotional as she walks back. Another low score for her. The ball straightens from Shreyanka from round the wicket, Chamari with a tentative prod forward, and the outside edge is taken by Deepti Sharma at first slip. 

Just the kind of start India needed. Renuka Singh Thakur delivers in her very first over, but what a fine catch that was!

Vishmi Gunaratne advances down the track and skies one, Radha Yadav - running from backward point - takes a superb diving catch, one-handed. India get the early breakthrough and Sri Lanka are 3/1 after the first over.

Strong start on the field for India. What will Chamari's approach be here? Maybe the target here will free her up. 

That was a catch that Radha can be proud of. Vishmi nearly found Smriti at mid-on off the first ball, but second ball wicket for India. Vishmi evidently came out with instructions to go hard at the top. 

Vishmi Gunaratne cRadha Yadav (sub) b Renuka Singh Thakur

WHAT A CATCH! Radha Yadav is on the field, presumably in place of Harmanpreet (not sure). And she takes a stunning catch at point, as Vishmi gets a leading edge. Jemimah's reaction says it all. A late dive and a fine grab, 

Indian batters have done their bit. Over the bowlers now. 

Renuka Singh Thakur has the ball in hand. Chamari is due some runs and she will be looking to go from the word go. 

That is a superb finish from India. Harmanpreet special at the backend! After a Smriti Mandhana special, earlier. 

HARMANPREET KAUR HALF CENTURY: What a knock from the Indian captain. 

She loves going big at the backend of the innings and she nails a couple of boundaries in the last over, both smashed down the ground and crosses her half century. More importantly, it powers India to the tournament's highest team total so far, going past what South Africa scored a while earlier today. 

There was a compilation of Smriti accessing the offside from earlier, now they show how Harmanpreet has targeted the leg side. Smart use of the shorter boundaries from the India captain and vice captain. 

FIELDING PENALTY: Sri Lanka will have one fewer fielder outside the circle as they haven't finished their innings on time. 

Harmanpreet has the strike, can India go past South Africa's 166 from earlier today? 

Another big over! This time Harmanpreet Kaur hits two fours on the offside, terrific use of the crease on both occasions, first on the backfoot and then on the front foot. 

A 13-run over! Harmanpreet on the charge, either side of that dropped chance, either side of the wicket. A lofted cover drive and then a classic sweep. 

DROPPED: Harmanpreet gets a life now. Full outside off from Chamari, Harmanpreet timed it superbly but Ranaweera is there waiting. Could not hold on though, the pace of the ball too much there. 

That was turning into a really good over from Kanchana but Harmanpreet finds the boundary off the last ball, sweeping fine past short-fine leg. Last three overs coming up, India need to target at least 10s. 

INDIA LOSE THEIR THIRD: Jemimah walked out with a nice intent today, a bright little cameo that. The idea was right, she tried to use the pace behind the square but the cut is straight to the fielder at short third.

Jemimah Rodrigues c Udeshika Prabodhani b Ama Kanchana 16 (10 balls)

Confirmation on the broadcast that it as a 84m six from Harmanpreet and the longest of the tournament so far. What a strike!

DROPPED CATCH! Sugandika gets Jemimah to play a lofted shot through midwicket, and it is straight in and out... Kavisha has dropped a sitter. Sri Lanka have been constantly improving their fielding, that wasn't great though. 

Harmanpreet meanwhile finally finds the boundary after a slow start. She needed that, India needed that. And then finishes the over with a BIG SIX!! That's a Harmanpreet Kaur special. What a shot. India's second six and that is a slog sweep out of Derby 2017 playbook. 

Chamari keeping Harman quiet in that over in a battle of the captains. Three dot balls. But Jemimah makes sure it is not a bad over for India, as she hits another four through the square leg. That Chamari over also helps Sri Lanka catch up on time a little bit, now only 6 minutes behind. 

Two new batters in, and that is not good for India because it has not been easy to get going right away in Dubai. And Harman tends to start slow. Will Jemimah take the initiative? 

Sri Lanka, despite using a lot of spin, are 11 minutes behind on the over-rate, they might pay quite the penalty for this. Might have to bowl at least a couple of overs with a fielding penalty. 

Jemimah, meanwhile, gets going with a sweep for four. India can't afford a slowdown here. The 160 target seems to getting out of sight. 

Harmanpreet Kaur walked in at No 3 but really, no difference today as Jemimah Rodrigues walks in at no 4 immediately after. 

And it is nearly three wickets in four balls as Harmanpreet would have been a goner with a better throw from keeper Sanjeevani. 

Oh dear. Shafali had been struggling for a while and once again she gets no timing on that attempted big shot. Slices it to the fielder at cover. Chamari strikes! And the SL captain has stepped up big time for her side. 

Shafali Verma c Vishmi Gunaratne b Chamari Athapaththu 43 (40 balls)

RUN OUT! Smriti Mandhana is out shortly after getting to her half century. Against the run of play, a run out. Chamari actually does superbly to gather the ball and throw the stumps down, and Smrit is literally one frame short. On the line. End of a fine knock. 

Smriti Mandhana run out Chamari Athapaththu 50 (38 balls)

You can't keep a batter of her quality down for long. A fine half century from the Indian vice captain, gets there with a four behind square off Chamari. 

Shafali is not beiung given any pace to work with, it's all change of pace here for her. Smriti trying to use the square boundaries. It was a long over with a couple of wides and a no ball but no boundaries. Shafali misses out on a rank short ball at her pads off the last ball in Kanchana's over. She needs to get a move on here. 

Kanchana, who has been drafted into the XI today, comes on to bowl the 12th over. 

Decent over from Dilhari, as Shafali continues to struggle to find the boundaries. She is now 37 off 33 balls. 

A compilation on the official broadcast, on how Smriti has tried to access the offside today. Teams tend to try and cramp her on the legside, but she has used her feet very well to try and go aerial.

Sri Lanka are yet to create any meaningful chances today, they need some inspiration from somewhere, a bit too passive so far. Dilhari the best bet? She starts off with the 11th over. 

After a good start, Shafali has slowed down quite significantly. She hasn't had too much of a strike either. But this is decent partnership batting still from India as they head into the drinks break with 78/0 on the board. Need to push for 160 at least from here. 

Ranaweera pulls out of her action as she sees Smriti move in the crease... and Mandhana pulls out next ball. Deepti Sharma must have  had a chuckle in the Indian dressing room. 

Smriti was on 6 off 10 at one stage, she has next 34 runs off the next 18 balls she has faced. 

Make that 41 runs in 4 overs! Superb batting again by Smriti in that over as she takes on Chamari thorough the offside, lofting over the extra cover region for a couple of twos. And then straight down the ground for another four.

Smriti Mandhana is definitely getting into her zone now! Lovely use of the crease in that over as she lofts Prabodani over extra cover, giving herself room to target that area. Even on a slow outfield that is good enough for a boundary. Has she turned a corner? 

31 runs in the last 3 overs for India.