Women’s ODI World Cup: Live Blog – India vs Sri Lanka

India just a wicket away from glory! Their experience and depth shone through in this match as Sri Lanka put them under the cosh on occasions but they invariably found a way to wiggle through.

Sneh Rana adds another to her kitty and raises her arms in celebration as she looks above to the heavens. Has been an awesome day for her, first with bat and now ball. Drifting in from round the wicket, Sugandika readies herself to sweep, misses completely and loses her poles. The end is nigh for Sri Lanka.

She was giving India a bit of a scare with her rapid run-scoring but the collapse left her with too much to do. Nilakshi tries a paddle-scoop and only manages to deflect it onto the stumps. Budged into position quickly to execute the unorthodox shot but misses it altogether. A commendable effort, nonetheless, as she departs for 35(29). Sneh Rana enters the wickets coloumn.

The lower-order batter has come out firing on all cylinders and India could soon be feeling the pinch if she carries on in such an aggressive vein. Although Sri Lanka still need over 100 runs so India do have ample cushion, as things stand.

It’s becoming a procession. Very full delivery and Anushka Sanjeewani couldn’t quite get under the sweep, zilch elevation and she picks out Harmanpreet Kaur at mid-wicket. Good catch over the head by the Indian skipper. India in firm control now, and this strangehold of their spinners should send a stern message to all the oppositions in the marquee event.

Richa Ghosh was guilty of shelling an opportunity earlier but she redeems herself thanks to anticipation skills. Kavisha glanced fine as Richa stuck her left leg out, the ball ricochets off the knee and lobs onto her body, she tumbles over and manages to cling on.

Sri Lanka have lost half their side, with Amanjot Kaur working over Vishmi Gunaratne on the ultimate delivery of the 24th over. She also takes a review with her.

Close decision and it has turned out in favour of India. Sri Lanka lose Harshitha but the review remains. This was not all that short but Harshitha fancies the pull, misses and is rapped on the back thigh. Nothing on UltraEdge. Ball-tracking showed impact was umpire’s call and careening into middle-stump. The pressure was mounting and India have their reward.

Flighted and drifts in, Harshitha is eager to drive but the ball beats the inside edge and Richa cannot glove it cleanly behind the stumps. Sneh Rana has been denied a wicket. How costly will that error prove?

The replays reveal that there is actually a spike on the UltraEdge when the ball is next to the bat. Chance gone down!

Chamari Athapaththu was gaining steam, having cudgeled Deepti Sharma for two sixes even as the off-spinner had the wood over her hitherto. However, things reverted to type when a yorker slid past her defences and made a mockery of the stumps. Deepti roars in delight as she gets the better of the Lankan captain for the fifth time in ODIs.

Powerplay done as it was pruned to 9 overs, and India go to spin straightaway with the field spreading. Harshitha hit her straps early with three boundaries in an over bowled by Amanjot Kaur, whose four overs have come at the cost of 26 runs.

Rather ungainly shot and the off-stump is pegged back. Gaud exults as the opening domino topples. Good length delivery from over the wicket, Perera is down on one knee looking to mow it across the line but fails to make contact. You miss, I hit.

Chamari Athapaththu caps off the fifth over of the Sri Lankan innings with an exquisite carve over point. The connection is vigorous enough to take the ball beyond the ropes.

Chamari Athapaththu cashes in on the width offered by Amanjot Kaur while Hasini Perera follows suit in Kranti Gaud’s second over as Sri Lanka start on a steady note in the 270-run chase.

The hosts were down in the dumps at 124/6 but a rock-solid partnership between Deepti Sharma and Amanjot Kaur brought them back into the contest, with Sri Lanka aiding their opposition’s fight by dropping two catches. Sneh Rana delivered the perfect finishing kick to usher India to a decent score. Inoka Ranaweera was the pick of the bowlers, returning 46/4 in his nine overs.

While Deepti Sharma has raised her 16th half-century in ODIs, India are also buoyed by the fireworks that Sneh Rana is producing. 16 runs off an over from Udeshika Prabodhani as India switch gears after 37 boundaryless balls.

Sri Lanka have been tepid with their catching of late but Vishmi takes a stunning catch that can have an impact of 10 runs to the Indian total. She wanted to target the mid-wicket fence but the boundary rider stretched full length and plucked a worldie out of thin air. She roars in jubilation and does the double fist pump. Needed something special to end this super impressive knock!

This is a mighty fine knock considering the context of the match and the predicament India were in when she occupied the crease. Maiden ODI fifty as well. She has been dropped twice, with de Silva proving the culprit in the second instance, but the intent from the lower-order batter has been top-notch.

India have the momentum in their favour but will have to start once again on the other side as rain stops play.

Sri Lanka have been tidy customers in the field today but eventually a wart has seeped into their report card. Amanjot went for the slog sweep and got a top-edge, the ball skies towards deep square leg and Kulasuriya chimes in, puts both hands to the task but shells it in the end, much to the chagrin of bowler Kavisha Dilhari.

Amanjot sprinkles salt into her wounds by decimating a flighted delivery over cow corner. Deepti Sharma too is finding the fence occasionally as India set themselves up for the death overs with the scoring rate going above 5rpo for the first time in the innings.

Amanjot has scored a run-a-ball 12 as India scramble to attain a respectable total. The were moving along steadily till the halfway mark but a quartet of dismissals inflicted by Inoka Ranaweera threw their innings into disarray. Can Amanjot and Deepti join forces to rescue India?

Ranaweera added the wicket of Richa Ghosh to her tally as India nosedived from 120/2 to 124/6, but all-rounder Deepti has plans to fight fire with fire. She kneels down and sweeps to fine leg before dispatching a full toss to claim 11 from the over. Sri Lanka are one wicket away from exposing the tail-enders and India are nowhere close to a challenging total at the moment.

Inoka Ranaweera has reinforced Sri Lanka’s position a great deal in just a single over by claiming three wickets! Can you believe it? The co-hosts have ripped apart India’s top five within 26 overs, with four falling victim to Ranaweera. Richa Ghosh makes her way to the middle.

Chamari Athapaththu found herself at the receiving end as the well-set Harleen made an effort to match her captain’s strike-rate. However, a couple of downtown biffs later, she falls prey to Inoka Ranaweera. Early into the drive and ends up chipping a dolly to cover. Sri Lanka keep chipping away whenever India try to accelerate.

Harmanpreet is known for scoring at a fair clip and she is staying true to her reputation to breathe life into this Indian innings. Inoka Ranaweera was pulled and cut for four apiece, the latter trickling into the ropes due to a misfield from Kulasuriya.

Inoka Ranaweera is Sri Lanka’s most reliable spinner and she has made an instant impact. Rawal puts her dancing shoes on and goes through with the flick despite not reaching the pitch of the ball, Vishmi Gunaratne moved to her left and got both hands to the catch but lost balance. The ball popped out because of the momentum taking her down. Luckily the ball was still near her to make amends.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur walks in to bat. She is a seasoned pro and India will bank on her as they look to ameliorate the scoring rate.