Shafali's Unbeaten 69 Blitz Powers India to Thumping Seven-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka*

Shafali's Unbeaten 69 Blitz Powers India to Thumping Seven-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka*

Shafali's Blitzkrieg: Unbeaten 69 Powers India Women to Thumping Seven-Wicket Win Over Sri Lanka in 2nd T20I.

                    On a dew-laden evening at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, India Women delivered another masterclass, dismantling Sri Lanka Women by seven wickets with 49 balls to spare in the second T20I on December 23, 2025.

            Shafali Verma, in scintillating form, smashed an unbeaten 69 off just 34 balls to make light work of a modest 129-run chase, propelling India to a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

The victory was set up by a disciplined bowling performance, where young spinners Vaishnavi Sharma and N Shree Charani shone brightly in the absence of Deepti Sharma, who was ruled out with a mild fever. Sneh Rana, stepping in as replacement, bowled the most economical spell of the innings. Sri Lanka, opting for the same XI despite a heavy defeat in the opener, struggled to build momentum after a promising Powerplay, eventually posting 128/9.

Pre-Match Build-Up and Toss

Harmanpreet Kaur continued her rare hot streak with the coin, winning the toss for the second consecutive time and electing to field first. "Winning the toss is not my cup of tea," she quipped post-match, but the decision proved spot-on under lights with dew expected to play a role. India made one forced change: off-spinner Sneh Rana replaced the world's top-ranked T20I bowler Deepti Sharma.

Sri Lanka, under Chamari Athapaththu, persisted with an unchanged lineup, banking on their experienced core to bounce back. The visitors had shown intent in patches during the first game but faltered against India's spin-heavy attack. With tougher opponents like Australia looming post-WPL, this series offered India a perfect platform to fine-tune combinations and iron out fielding lapses that had crept in recently.

India Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Arundhati Reddy, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani.

Sri Lanka Playing XI: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Malki Madara, Inoka Ranaweera, Kawya Kavindi, Shashini Gimhani.

Sri Lanka Innings: Promising Start, Familiar Collapse

Sri Lanka's innings began with intent. Captain Athapaththu, leading from the front, attacked the new ball alongside Vishmi Gunaratne. The Powerplay yielded a solid foundation, with Athapaththu particularly aggressive, striking boundaries with her trademark flair. She raced to 31 off 24 balls, including some crisp drives and pulls that entertained the sparse holiday crowd.


However, the introduction of spin changed the complexion. Sneh Rana, bowling with impeccable control, deceived Athapaththu in flight, inducing a mistimed lofted drive that was pouched safely. Rana's spell read an outstanding 4-1-11-1 – the tightest of the night.

Harshitha Samarawickrama, the anchor, played a measured knock of 33 off 32, rotating strike effectively and finding occasional boundaries. She combined with Hasini Perera (22 off 28) for a 44-run partnership that steadied the ship after early losses. But once Perera offered a return catch off Charani's full toss, the middle order crumbled.

India's spinners squeezed relentlessly in the middle overs. Vaishnavi Sharma, building on her promising debut, claimed 2/32, while Shree Charani's variations fetched 2/23. Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy chipped in with tight overs, and sharp fielding – a marked improvement from recent games – ensured dot balls mounted pressure.

From a relatively comfortable 104/3 in the 17th over, Sri Lanka imploded, losing six wickets for just 24 runs in the death. Horizontal-bat shots dominated their repertoire, as Athapaththu later admitted, costing them momentum on a batting-friendly surface. The total of 128/9 felt at least 20-30 runs short, especially with dew aiding the chase.

India's Chase: Shafali Verma Unleashes Mayhem

If Sri Lanka's innings was a story of unfulfilled promise, India's reply was pure dominance. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma started cautiously, aware of early grip, but soon shifted gears.

Mandhana struck a four and a six in her brief stay, scoring 14 off 11 before falling to Kavisha Dilhari's off-spin. But that brought Jemimah Rodrigues to the crease, fresh off her match-winning unbeaten 69 in the first T20I.

What followed was a batting exhibition. Shafali, playing with controlled aggression, targeted the spinners mercilessly. She played along the ground initially, as she revealed post-match, heeding advice to avoid aerial risks early on. But once set, the floodgates opened: crisp drives, powerful pulls, and deft cuts flowed effortlessly.

Rodrigues provided perfect support with 26 off 15, including a flurry of boundaries. Their 58-run second-wicket stand came at a blistering pace, effectively killing the contest. Rodrigues departed, caught attempting a big shot, but skipper Harmanpreet Kaur joined Shafali for a steady partnership.

Shafali brought up her half-century off just 27 balls – the joint-second fastest by an Indian against Sri Lanka in WT20Is – with a glorious boundary. She finished unbeaten on 69 off 34 (11 fours, 1 six), a strike rate of over 202 that underscored her destructive potential. Richa Ghosh hit the winning single in the 12th over, sealing the chase at 129/3.


Sri Lanka's bowlers toiled without luck. Dilhari (1/15) and Malki Madara (1/22) were the pick, but others leaked runs under pressure from Shafali's onslaught.

Post-Match Reactions and Player of the Match

Shafali Verma, deservedly named Player of the Match, reflected on her approach: "At the start, the ball was holding a bit. I tried to play along the ground and work my way up. Sometimes, I don't get time and balls to face and end up hitting out. I learnt today that I can keep the ball along the ground and still score. Cricket always teaches you things; it's important to accept things. That's the only way you can improve."

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was effusive in praise: "Really happy with the way we bowled. Bowlers took responsibility and put us into a good situation. Shafali and others batted well... Really happy the way Vaishnavi bowled today; we missed a chance off her last game. We're working really hard on fielding; things have gone wrong but today it came right."

Chamari Athapaththu rued the middle-overs slump: "We had a good Powerplay but lost a couple of wickets, then struggled in the middle overs. India bowled according to their plans. Batters always played horizontal bat, which is an area for improvement. We have to score more than 150 while batting first... This wicket was very good for batting, especially with dew."

Key Stats and Player Performances
Shafali Verma: 69* (34) – 11x4, 1x6; 12th T20I fifty.
Harshitha Samarawickrama: 33 (32) – Top score for SL.
Chamari Athapaththu: 31 (24).

Bowling Highlights: Shree Charani 2/23, Vaishnavi Sharma 2/32, Sneh Rana 1/11 (4 overs).

India's win by 49 balls remaining is their second-largest margin (in balls) against Sri Lanka in WT20Is.

Player Ratings (India):
Shafali Verma: 9/10 (Match-winner)
Jemimah Rodrigues: 7/10
Harmanpreet Kaur: 6/10
Sneh Rana: 8/10 (Economical spell)
Vaishnavi Sharma: 7/10
Shree Charani: 8/10
Fielding unit: 8/10 (Sharp improvement)

Sri Lanka: Struggled collectively; Athapaththu and Harshitha the standouts.

Series Context and Road Ahead

This emphatic victory – even more comprehensive than the eight-wicket win in the opener – highlights India's depth and dominance at home. The Visakhapatnam leg wrapped up perfectly for the hosts, who now head to Thiruvananthapuram for the third T20I on December 26 (Boxing Day).

For Sri Lanka, questions persist around middle-order resilience and adapting to spin. A venue change might offer fresh hope, but they need significant improvements to avoid a series whitewash.

India, meanwhile, continue building momentum ahead of sterner tests. Shafali's return to peak form is a massive boost, while the emergence of young spinners like Vaishnavi and Charani adds exciting options.

As the series moves south, one thing is clear: India Women are firing on all cylinders, and Sri Lanka face an uphill battle to salvage pride.

The full article would include deeper historical context on Indo-SL women's rivalry, individual player career analyses, tactical breakdowns over-by-over, fan reactions, implications for upcoming rankings, detailed quotes expansion, and future series preview – structured similarly to professional long-form reports.)

Alternative Short Titles:
Shafali Verma's 34-Ball 69* Crushes Sri Lanka as India Take 2-0 Lead
Spinners Shine, Shafali Smashes: India Rout SL by 7 Wickets in Vizag
Dominant India Women Surge Ahead with Convincing Win in 2nd T20I