India hopes for an encore; Sri Lanka eyes a riposte

With little turnaround time between fixtures, India and Sri Lanka lock horns in the second T20I at the ACA-VDCA Stadium on Tuesday, arriving with vastly different short- and long-term priorities. India cruised to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in the opener on Sunday, with Sri Lanka rarely threatening to stay in the contest. Still, the match offered a timely reminder that there are areas to address as the sides build toward the 2026 T20 World Cup. Fielding remains the most glaring concern for the Women in Blue. Encouragingly, the first T20I was not entirely bleak on that front. Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma were particularly sharp, cutting off runs and playing a key role in restricting Sri Lanka to a below-par total. High catches, however, continue to pose problems. Both Sree Charani and Smriti Mandhana put down regulation chances, and dew or no dew, perfection needs to be non-negotiable for the ODI World champion. After a commendable debut by left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma - even though she went wicketless - it might also be prudent to give wicketkeeper-batter G. Kamalini a go. Richa Ghosh’s occasional gaffes with the gloves could be better handled if there’s a competitor snapping at her heels. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, is left with more questions than answers. The scoring rate was pedestrian, boundaries were scarce, and the entire batting line-up managed just nine fours - one fewer than Jemimah struck on her own. As captain Chamari Athapaththu acknowledged, the side lacks natural power- hitters. But with opponents regularly posting totals in excess of 160, Sri Lanka must find alternative ways to keep pace. Vishmi Gunaratne finished as the team’s top-scorer on Sunday, but her innings was more an exercise in survival than the urgency the format demands. If acceleration remains elusive, greater responsibility may need to be handed to aggressive players such as Kavisha Dilhari. At the other end of the spectrum - in both age and impact - was Inoka Ranaweera. Sri Lanka’s standout performer in defeat, the 39-year-old left-arm spinner once again demonstrated her ability to stifle even elite batters and remains a cornerstone around whom the attack should be built. Going forward, India remains focused on refinement rather than results, while Sri Lanka is in urgent need of a response. Whether the visitor closes the gap or whether the host continues its dominance will likely define not just the remainder of the series, but the direction of both teams in the months ahead. The teams (from): India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt.), Smriti Mandhana (Vice-capt.), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Thakur, Richa Ghosh, G. Kamalini, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma. Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (Capt.), Harshitha Samarawickrama (Vice-Capt.), Hasini Perera, Vishmi Gunaratne, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani, Inoka Ranaweera, Shashini Gimhani, Nimesha Madushani, Kawya Kavindi, Rashmika Sewwandi, Malki Madara. Match starts at 7 p.m. Published - December 22, 2025 10:06 pm IST

Preview: ~492 words