5th T20I: Harmanpreet's 68 and late blitz from Arundhati help India post 175/7

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 30 (IANS) Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur led from the front and scored a brilliant 68 off 43 deliveries as India Women, helped by a late blitz from Arundhati Reddy (27 off 11 balls), managed to post 175/7 in 20 overs against Sri Lanka in the fifth and final T20I match of the series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

Struggling at 77 for 5, skipper Kaur added 61 runs in 38 deliveries with Amanjot Kaur (21) to help India reach a respectable total.

Earlier, India were dealt with early blows as opener Shafali Varma dream runs of form came to an end. Coming off three successive fifty-plus scores, Varma got caught at long-on for a score of 1 in the second over. Making her international debut, Gunalan Kamalini looked confident with early boundaries, but her innings came short with 12 runs. She, with Harleen Deol, who herself scored 13, including two boundaries, added 22 runs for the second wicket.

India’s late surge ensured they posted a competitive 175 for 7, riding on a powerful finish after appearing in danger of falling well short. The final four overs yielded 51 runs, a phase that transformed the innings, especially considering that Kavisha Dilhari slipped in a tight four-run over, leaving India to smash 47 off the remaining three.

Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the recovery with an innings that never allowed the momentum to dip, even as wickets kept tumbling at the other end. It was a knock reminiscent of her Mumbai Indians template — fearless, proactive, and unrelenting. Amanjot Kaur provided crucial support, hanging in long enough to stitch a vital 61-run stand for the sixth wicket, which stabilised the innings before the final assault.

At 142 for 7 in the 18th over, with dew expected later in the evening, India looked set to finish below par. But Arundhati Reddy’s explosive cameo of 27 off 11 balls proved the perfect finishing touch, lifting the total to a far healthier mark. Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu may rue a few tactical calls, particularly not completing Dilhari’s quota despite her being the standout bowler with 2-11 in two overs.

India found the seam easier to negotiate, yet they were offered eight overs of it. While Shafali, Kamalini, Deol, Ghosh, and Deepti fell to poorly executed shots, India’s captain ensured the innings stayed alive — and the late burst ensured it ended strongly.

Bried scores:

India Women 175/7 in 20 overs (Harmanpreet Kaur 68, Arundhati Reddy 27 not out; Kavish Dilhari 2/11, Chamari Athapaththu 2/21) against Sri Lanka Women

--IANS

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