By Srian Obeyesekere
Sri Lanka was badly beaten by India by 97 runs by India in the Women’s Tri Series final in what was a daunting highest chase in the ODI format with India’s first lease take on an avalanche of 342 for 7 off 50 overs putting them out of the game yesterday at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.
The game became an anti climax one way show by the Indians following two early let offs, mainly India’s eventual century maker, Smriti Mandhana, 116 off 101 balls, when she was let off on 21 by Piumi Wathsala off the bowling of Inoka Ranaweera, a head high that flew off her hands head high, and before that when Harshitha Samarawickrama let off a straightforward flick by Pratika Rawal on the leg side. She went on to make 30.
Sri Lanka’s run chase also suffered the setback by the absence of Kavisha Dilhari who played a big hand half century in bringing down the Indians in their previous encounter as the hosts rehashed batting order with skipper Chamari Athapaththu promoting herself to the No. 3 to step up the huge run chase giving it a bold try but falling for 51 off 66 with the 6 boundaries and six outfoxed by India’s ultimate 4 for 38 trump card off spinner Sneh Rana beaten by the flight as she danced down the track losing her off stump.
By and large the Lankans were outplayed by a high fusion supplementing Indian bowling attack to Player of the Match Mandhana’s century works mountainous total with pacer Amanjot Kaur doing the upfront damage with the ball with a 3 for 54 haul.
The 1 for 0 Hasini Perera third ball dismissal was a huge setback to the hosts chase from where the Indians had the game already in their pocket with the chase folding up in 48.2 overs. Following the Lankan skipper’s dismissal with the score 3 for 121 by the 24th over Sri Lanka’s rehashed attempt came apart with Nilakshika Suva, the lusty hitting match winner against the Indiana last time, promoted to 4 kept subdued by a concentrated pace-spin attack, making a next best 48 off 58 with 5 boundaries.
Harshitha Samarawickrama, demoted to 5, scored 26 off 32 with 4 boundaries and might have made a better impact in her customary No.3 role where Silva might have better suited to the late pinch hitting task.
India 342 for 7 (Mandhana 116, Deol 47, Rodrigues 44, Kumari 2-59) beat Sri Lanka 245 (Athapaththu 51, Nilakshika 48, Rana 4-38, Amanjot 3-54) by 97 runs.
