India women’s team targets series-clinching win over Sri Lanka

DAMBULLA: Eyeing a series-clinching victory, the India women’s team would expect a better show from its top-order in the second T20I against Sri Lanka here on Saturday.

India had made a positive start to the limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka with a comfortable 34-run win in the first T20I. Besides aiming to bag the three-match series, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led team will look to continue the winning momentum ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, where cricket is set to make its debut in the T20 format.

In the series opener, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and Sabbhineni Meghana fell cheaply, so the duo will be motivated to get back among the runs. While Shafali Verma hit a run-a-ball 31, the young opening batter is capable of striking at a better rate.

Back in the national fold, Jemimah Rodrigues showed her capabilities in the first T20I and will be eager to deliver another impressive performance. In the bowling department, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who picked up two wickets in the previous match, offie Deepti Sharma and pacer Pooja Vastrakar are in fine form.

Sri Lanka, too, would want its batters to step up to the occasion. Barring Kavisha Dilhari, who made an unbeaten 47, none of the host’s batters got going in the last fixture. On the bowling front, left-arm orthodox Inoka Ranaweera and medium pacer Oshadi Ranasinghe could challenge India again, having earned three and two scalps respectively on Thursday.