Harmanpreet leads India's 15-run win over Sri Lanka in 5th T20I, 5-0 series triumph

Thiruvananthapuram: Bowlers produced a spotless effort after skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led the way with a doughty 68 as dominant India defeated Sri Lanka by 15 runs in the fifth T20I to complete a 5-0 whitewash, here on Tuesday.

Harmanpreet’s first fifty of the series came at an important juncture in the game when India were left struggling at 77 for five, as her 43-ball knock took the hosts to 175 for five.

Sri Lanka responded with half-centuries from opener Hasini Perera (65) and Imesha Dulani (50) but failed to find the flourish towards the end, finishing at 160 for seven. India thus capped an exceptional World Cup-winning year on a bright note.

Despite losing their skipper Chamari Athapaththu (2) early in the chase, Sri Lanka responded with a second-wicket partnership of 79 runs between Perera and Dulani which kept them in hunt.

Both Perera and Dulani batted with conviction to regularly find boundaries and rotated the strike well, but the failure to clear the ropes during their 56-ball association also meant that Sri Lanka remained slightly behind the asking rate.

Sri Lanka No. 3 Dulani cracked eight fours in her 39-ball innings and Perera held one end strongly with her 42-ball knock, but a slip-up in the form of wickets in cluster saw the required run rate moving past 13 per over.

Sri Lanka needed a big finish in the second half which they could not produce, as Indian spinners Deepti Sharma (1/28) and Vaishnavi Sharma (1/33) bowled stifling spells.

Amanjot Kaur (1/17) dismissed Dulani in the 12th over to give India the opening and Deepti capitalised on it.

Deepti trapped Nilakshika Silva leg-before in the 14th over to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with her 152nd dismissal in 134 matches at 18.62, going past Australia’s Megan Schutt (151 wickets in 123 matches at 16.57).

Perera’s fall in the 17th over shut the doors on the Islanders.

Earlier, a resolute knock from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (68) and a late assault from Arundhati Reddy (27 not out) took India to a competitive 175 for seven.

India were left tottering at 77 for five after 10 overs, but Harmanpreet stood tall with her first impactful knock of the series.

Later, Arundhati smacked four fours and a six to make a vital 11-ball 27 not out to push the hosts past the 150-mark.

Harmanpreet struck nine fours and a six in her 43-balls knock and dazzled with some powerful hits on both sides of the wicket, while her 61-run sixth wicket stand with Amanjot Kaur (21) was equally important.

For the large part of her knock, Harmanpreet kept losing partners which also dented India’s hopes for a bigger total but with Amanjot, the Indian skipper ensured her bowlers had a total on board to defend.

Using the long handle to a good effect, Harmanpreet also pierced the field deftly on the off-side for a few boundaries.

It wasn’t an ideal start for India with the new opening pair of debutant G Kamalini and Shafali Verma falling cheaply after vice-captain Smriti Mandhana was rested from this match.

Coming off three consecutive fifties, Shafali (5) looked to attack from the beginning but she was caught at long-on by Imesha Dulani off Nimasha Meepage in the second over.

Having hit a couple of fours in her maiden outing, Kamalini (12) missed connecting on an attempted sweep off Kavisha Dilhari (2/11) and was pinned in front, as an attempt to overturn the decision through DRS proved futile.

In need of a partnership, India’s hopes were placed on Harleen Deol (13) and Harmanpreet. But having received one lifeline through a dropped catch, Harleen went for a big heave across the line off Rashmika Sewwandi, only to get an inside edge onto her stumps.

The slide persisted for India when Athapaththu (2/21) snaffled the fourth wicket of the innings, getting the dangerous Richa Ghosh (5) caught behind to leave India in trouble at 64 for four, and soon 77 for five when Deepti Sharma (7) also fell to the Lankan captain.