India continued their dominant run in the women’s T20I series against Sri Lanka with a convincing 30-run win in the fourth match, sealing the series 4–0 with one game still to play. While the victory was comprehensive, captain Harmanpreet Kaur revealed there was a tense moment late in the match as she pushed her bowlers to maintain the required over rate.
During Sri Lanka’s chase, Harmanpreet was seen actively directing her fielders and urging the bowlers to speed things up. Speaking after the match, the Indian skipper explained that she was keen to avoid any slow over-rate issues that could have resulted in penalties.
“We were running short of time, and I wanted everyone to stay alert and finish on time. I didn’t want to risk extra fielding restrictions. These are small things I’m trying to improve as a captain,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation.
Earlier in the match, India’s top order set the tone with a stunning opening stand. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put together a record partnership, dismantling the Sri Lankan bowling attack with ease. Mandhana scored a fluent 80, while Shafali matched her aggression with a blistering 79, giving India a commanding platform.
Harmanpreet was quick to praise the opening duo for their match-winning effort. “The credit goes to Smriti and Shafali. They gave us a fantastic start, and then Richa and I made sure we finished strong,” she said.
With the ball, spinner Vaishnavi Sharma played a key role, returning impressive figures of 2 for 24 and applying pressure during the middle overs to keep Sri Lanka’s chase under control.
Now holding an unassailable lead, Harmanpreet hinted that the team management could consider changes for the final T20I on Tuesday, possibly giving opportunities to other players in the squad.
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“We were thinking of giving Harleen a chance today, but the way Smriti and Shafali batted didn’t allow that. We’ll see what combinations we try in the last match,” she added.
India will head into the fifth T20I aiming to complete a clean sweep and cap off a dominant series performance.
