IND vs SL, 5th T20I: India completes 5-0 sweep despite late resistance from Sri Lanka

They finally made a match of it, but it still wasn’t enough.

The Sri Lankan women, after being outplayed in the first four matches, tested India with both bat and ball in the final T20I at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday night. The Women in Blue, however, won by 15 runs to complete a 5-0 whitewash.

Chasing India’s 175 for seven, the Islanders could only make 160 for seven. Two fine innings had given them hope, but neither Hasini Perera (65, 42b, 8×4, 1×6) nor Imesha Dulani (50, 39b, 8×4) could stay long enough to see the side through.

Their 79-run stand for the second wicket, after the early loss of skipper Chamari Athapaththu, had given the visitor hope. Sadly for Sri Lanka, no other batter made any contribution, as the Indian bowlers came back strongly. Deepti Sharma’s wicket of Nilakshika Silva was her 152nd, taking her past Australia’s Megan Schutt to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.

ALSO READ: Deepti Sharma becomes highest wicket-taker in women’s T20Is

Earlier, captain Harmanpreet’s Kaur’s 68 (43b, 9×4, 1×6) and a late blitzkrieg from Arundhati Reddy (27 not out, 11b, 4×4, 1×6) helped India recover from a shaky start to post 175.

The host had a new opening pair, with G. Kamalini making her debut in place of Smriti Mandhana, who was rested. Her opening partner, Shafali Verma, has been the leading-scorer of the series, but the law of averages caught up with her after scores of 69 not out, 79 not out and 79. In the second over, she stepped out to hit Nimasha Meepage over long-on and fell to a tumbling catch by Imesha Dulani. 

Kamalini, after a couple of promising hits, was trapped in front trying to sweep Kavisha Dilhari’s first ball. Harleen Deol then lost her leg stump while trying to play Rashmika Sewwandi’s second ball as India slid to 41 for three in the seventh over.

Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma didn’t last long either. But in Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet found a dependable partner and they added 61 runs for the sixth wicket.

When the Indian captain walked in, the score read 27 for two but, then, half the side was back in the dressing room at about the half-way mark of the innings, with just 77 on the board.

But she didn’t seem to bother about what was happening at the other end. She danced far down the track against the spinners and never missed an opportunity to show off her hard-hitting skills.

Sneh Rana and Arundhati added the final flourish with an unbroken eighth wicket stand, adding 33 runs which would prove crucial.

Published on Dec 30, 2025