On the back of a captain’s masterclass, the Indian Women’s team has secured a historic 5-0 whitewash against Sri Lanka. The “Women in Blue” triumphed in the five-match T20 series, overcoming their toughest challenge of the tour in the final fixture to win by 15 runs. This marks the first time the Indian women’s side has achieved a clean sweep in a T20 series of this length.
Despite a spirited fightback from the opposition, a rare top-order collapse, and the tactical difficulty of bowling with a dew-soaked ball, the hosts held their nerve to clinch victory. Here is how the drama unfolded in the final T20.
Early Stutters and a Debutant’s Entry
In a move to test bench strength, India rested their batting mainstay, Smriti Mandhana. This paved the way for 17-year-old G. Kamalini from Tamil Nadu to make her international debut. However, after being put in to bat, India found themselves in early trouble, reeling at 27/2. Both the debutant Kamalini and the in-form Shafali Verma fell cheaply. By the tenth over, the innings lost further momentum as Harleen Deol and Richa Ghosh were dismissed, leaving the middle order exposed.
With the team under pressure, Captain Harmanpreet Kaur stepped up. Having failed to cross the 21-run mark in the previous four innings of the series, she chose the perfect moment to find her form. Harmanpreet played a sensational knock of 68 off just 43 balls, a brilliant blend of caution and aggression featuring nine boundaries and a six. Her ability to find gaps against the left-arm spinners was particularly clinical.
The finishing touches were provided by Arundhati Reddy and Amanjot Kaur, both contributing crucial scores in the 20s. Reddy’s explosive 27 off 11 balls acted as the catalyst, helping India plunder 66 runs in the final five overs to reach a formidable total of 175/5
Sri Lanka’s Spirited Chase
Chasing 176, Sri Lanka delivered their best batting performance of the series. A dominant 79-run partnership off just 56 balls between Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani kept the visitors in the hunt. Perera finally reached her maiden T20 half-century in her 81st match, while Dulani also crossed the fifty-run mark, putting the Indian bowlers on the defensive.
The Turning Point
The momentum shifted when Amanjot Kaur struck with her very first ball, dismissing Dulani to break the dangerous stand. While Perera continued to fight and threatened to pull off an upset, she was eventually bowled by a full-length delivery from Shreyanka Patil after hitting a four and a six in the same over.
Simultaneously, Deepti Sharma made history by trapping Nilakshi de Silva LBW. With this wicket, Deepti surpassed Megan Schutt to move up the list of the highest wicket-takers in Women’s T20Is.
Historic Finish
As the required rate climbed, Sri Lanka needed 34 runs from the final two overs. Despite a valiant effort, they fell short, handing India a 15-run victory. This win cements a 5-0 series sweep—the first time India has achieved such a feat in a long bilateral T20 series on home soil.