India edge Sri Lanka by 13 runs : The Tribune India

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India edge Sri Lanka by 13 runs

KATUNAYAKE (SRI LANKA): Jemimah Rodrigues, Poonam Yadav and Taniya Bhatia produced special performances to fire India to a 13-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 International of the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India edge Sri Lanka by 13 runs

Poonam Yadav (centre) celebrates a dismissal with teammates.



Katunayake (Sri Lanka), Sept 19

Jemimah Rodrigues, Poonam Yadav and Taniya Bhatia produced special performances to fire India to a 13-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 International of the five-match series here on Wednesday. Teenager Jemimah smashed 36 off 15 balls in a whirlwind innings, adding 57 runs off just 24 balls for the second wicket with Mithali Raj (17) after Smriti Mandhana fell for a first-ball duck. Jemimah struck three sixes and a four off successive balls off Nilakshi de Silva, who leaked 27 in her first over. The 18-year-old Jemimah became the first Indian woman to hit three sixes in an over in international cricket. 

The partnership was broken when Sripali Weerakkody trapped Mithali lbw and India were then reduced to 70/4 as Chamari Atapattu removed Jemimah and Harmanpreet Kaur (0) in the space of three balls.

However, wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia (46 off 35) and Anuja Patil (36 off 29) added 67 for the fifth wicket in 9.4 overs to power India to a competitive total. Taniya started strongly, smashing three fours off the first four balls she faced off Sripali Weerakkody. Her innings contained six fours and one six. Anuja’s knock of 29 included five hits to the fence. After Taniya fell, Sri Lanka managed to rein in India a bit, and only 18 runs came off the next four overs. However, Veda Krishnamurthy stuck 21 off 15 balls to take India to 168.

Sri Lanka made a flying start in the chase through Yasoda Mendis (32 off 12) and Chamari (27 off 22), racing to 39 in 2.5 overs before the former was dismissed by Arundhati Reddy. Sri Lanka remained in the hunt before leg-spinner Poonam’s regular breakthroughs took the game away from them as they were bowled out for 155 in 19.3 overs. The 27-year-old Poonam ended with 4/26 in four overs. Radha Yadav and Harmanpreet Kaur too chipped in with the ball, taking two wickets each. Eshani Lokusuriyage top-scored for Sri Lanka with 45 off 31 balls but her spirited effort did not prove to be enough. The second T20I will be played in Colombo on Friday. — Agencies

Brief scores: India: 168/8 (Taniya Bhatia 46, Jemimah Rodrigues 36, Anuja Patil 36; Udeshika Prabodhani 2/18, Chamari Atapattu 2/23); Sri Lanka: 155 all out (Eshani Lokusuriyage 45; Poonam Yadav 4/26)

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