Shafali’s Blitz Powers India to Comfortable Series Lead in Visakhapatnam

India made light work of Sri Lanka’s target in the second women’s T20I, producing a commanding seven-wicket win at the ACA–VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam to move 2–0 ahead in the five-match series.

Chasing 129, the Indian batters turned the contest into a one-sided affair, with Shafali Verma delivering a dazzling unbeaten 69 from just 34 deliveries. Her fluent stroke play ensured the target was overhauled with a remarkable 49 balls remaining, underlining India’s dominance on the night.

While the margin of victory was emphatic, the match also offered a moment of personal redemption for Sree Charani. After a difficult outing in the series opener, she returned sharper in the field, taking two crucial catches that halted Sri Lanka’s attempts to build momentum in the middle overs. One of those dismissals also helped Vaishnavi Sharma register her first international wicket, after a missed chance had denied her in the previous match.

Sri Lanka showed greater intent with the bat compared to the opening T20I, adopting a more positive approach early on. However, a dramatic collapse at the death proved costly, as they lost five wickets for just 19 runs to finish on 128 for nine.

The innings began on a shaky note when Kranti Gaud struck in the opening over, removing Vishmi Gunaratne. That setback once again placed responsibility on captain Chamari Athapaththu, who attempted to revive the innings with an aggressive counterattack. After surviving an early chance, she showcased her power with a towering six off Arundhati Reddy, but her stay was cut short when she failed to clear long-off, where Amanjot Kaur completed a straightforward catch amid loud cheers from the home crowd.

Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama then looked to keep the scoreboard ticking, with Harshitha finding the boundary repeatedly against the inexperienced Vaishnavi Sharma. India responded by reintroducing Kranti Gaud, whose tight spell choked the run flow, allowing only one boundary across nearly five overs.

The mounting pressure soon told. Charani removed Hasini with a sharp caught-and-bowled effort, while Harshitha was run out after falling just short of her crease, bringing Sri Lanka’s resistance to an abrupt end.

In reply, India briefly lost Smriti Mandhana early, but the setback had little impact. Shafali led the charge with authority, and the depth of the Indian batting lineup ensured Sri Lanka’s bowlers, including the experienced Inoka Ranaweera and Athapaththu, found no respite. A rapid burst of boundaries saw 48 runs plundered in just three overs, effectively sealing the contest.

As the match ended swiftly, Shafali was warmly congratulated by Athapaththu, and the home crowd enjoyed a clinical performance that capped off a chilly evening on India’s east coast with a resounding victory.