India’s opportunity to assess their capabilities and squad depth
Big Picture: Sri Lanka on the lookout for emerging talentsAll three encounters in this series have exhibited a similar trend so far. India has won all three tosses – yes, you read that correctly – opted to bowl, and then capitalized on the dew to chase down modest targets without any struggle. With a T20 World Cup approaching and an unassailable 3-0 series lead, it makes sense for India to start pushing their limits and consider setting targets in case their luck with the toss holds. They might also want to identify ways to reinforce their squad depth a bit more—there appeared to be a lack of firepower in the lower order during the 2024 tournament. G Kamalini brings with her the same explosive-hitting potential that Richa Ghosh showcased at a young age in 2020. Perhaps it’s time to give her a chance?Sri Lanka continues to experiment in search of their own equivalents of Mandhana and Harmanpreet, and while there have been glimpses of potential, finding consistent performers has proven challenging. Imesha Dulani performed admirably for a brief period, aiding Sri Lanka through a top-order collapse in the third T20I.•BCCIForm GuideIndia WWWLW (Last five completed matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka LLLLWIn the spotlight: Vaishnavi and SamarawickramaFollowing Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwar, Saika Ishaque, and N Shree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, at just 20 years of age, is the latest addition to India’s left-arm spin contingent. However, she stands out as the only one among the five to achieve this without the support of the WPL. Vaishnavi emerged as the top wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, securing 21 wickets in 11 matches with an economy rate of 6.47. She maintained this form in the inter-zonal tournament and in the three games against Sri Lanka. Her poise has been impressive, as has her bravery in continuing to toss the ball up. In contrast, when Sri Lanka shocked India to clinch last year’s Asia Cup final, Harshitha Samarawickrama emerged as a player with great potential. Yet, in the 17 months that have passed, such performances have been infrequent. Coach Rumesh Ratnayake continues to support her, believing that a revival is near, and she will be eager to prove her worth. Since the commencement of the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, she has not attained a half-century in nine innings.Team news: Will India give Kamalini a chance?With the T20 World Cup just six months away, this is an ideal moment for India to broaden their talent pool, and to this end, introducing 17-year-old wicketkeeper Kamalini into the squad could be worthwhile.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh/ G Kamalini (wk), 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Amanjot Kaur, 8 Renuka Singh/Arundhati Reddy, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 Vaishnavi Sharma, 11 Shree CharaniG Kamalini, 17, is recognized as an effective ball-striker•ICC/Getty ImagesIn response to their batting needing reinforcement, Sri Lanka made three alterations in the last match but only managed to post 112 runs. More adjustments might be expected on Sunday.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 2 Hasini Perera, 3 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 4 Imesha Dulani, 5 Nilakshika Silva, 6 Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), 7 Kavisha Dilhari, 8 Malki Madara, 9 Inoka Ranaweera, 10 Malsha Snehani, 11 Nimasha MeepagePitch and conditionsTrivandrum has a reputation for its black-soil surface that provides true bounce. Given that dew is unlikely to exert as much influence as it did in Vizag, conditions are not overly tilted in favor of the team batting first.Stats and trivia: Mandhana aiming for 10,000 international runs
Smriti Mandhana is just 27 runs away from reaching an aggregate of 10,000 international runs.
Deepti Sharma requires one more wicket to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.
Deepti has dismissed Chamari Athapaththu six times in T20Is, matching her highest tally against any batsman. She has also dismissed England’s Danni Wyatt-Hodge six times.
Athapaththu is set to play her 150th T20I, making her the eighth woman player to achieve this milestone.
Among all batters who have faced at least 1000 balls from Full Member teams, Hasini Perera’s average of 12.5 stands as the lowest in women’s T20Is.
Quotes”I was thrilled when I learned that we were set to play in Kerala. From my Under-19 days, I have frequently taken four wickets here. I feel a positive vibe knowing I’ve had success here before, which gives me confidence that I could perform well again.”India fast bowler Renuka Singh after her Player-of-the-match performance in the third T20I”I believe we need to enhance our batting somewhat, particularly within our middle order and the manner in which we finish games as a batting team. Our power game isn’t sufficient for this format.”Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu candidly addresses her side’s shortcomingsShashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo
Published: 2025-12-27 16:36:00
source: www.espncricinfo.com
