Shafali's blitz after Renuka, Deepti show powers India to series win over Sri Lanka

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26 (PTI) Renuka Singh Thakur and Deepti Sharma dazzled with the ball before Shafali Verma's pyrotechnics powered India to a commanding eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka, clinching the five-match series in the third women's T20I here on Friday.

With the win, India have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, underlining their complete dominance over the visitors. The contest followed a familiar script, with India first restricting Sri Lanka to a modest total before overhauling the target with consummate ease.

Renuka (4/21) marked her return to the side in scintillating fashion, while Deepti became the joint-highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is as India limited Sri Lanka to a paltry 112 for seven.

Shafali, who blazed away to an unbeaten 79 off 42 balls, was at her imperious best as she single-handedly dismantled the chase, powering India home with 40 balls to spare.

Playing her first T20I since December last year, Renuka did what she does best with the new ball, rattling the Sri Lankan top order and swinging the momentum decisively in India's favour.

The ever-reliable Deepti (3/18) provided excellent support with timely breakthroughs and also joined Australia's Megan Schutt as the highest wicket-taker in women's T20Is, claiming her 151st scalp in the format.

Chasing the modest target, the big-hitting Shafali picked up from where she had left off in the previous match, going all guns blazing to register her second consecutive half-century.

After facing three dot balls, the explosive opener danced down the track to clobber a towering 83-metre six over long-off, following it up with back-to-back boundaries through midwicket and mid-off.

Timing the ball to perfection, she punished the Sri Lankan bowlers with an entertaining knock, smashing 11 boundaries and three sixes.

Spinner Kavisha Dilhari (2/18) briefly stalled India's momentum by removing vice-captain Smriti Mandhana's (1), whose lean patch continued, and Jemimah Rodrigues, but the outcome was never in doubt with Shafali finishing it off in style with a boundary.

Earlier trying to stay alive in the series, Hasini Perera (25) gave Sri Lanka a brisk start, striking two boundaries to plunder 12 runs of the opening over bowled by Renuka.

Perera mixed caution with innovation, even scooping the ball over the wicketkeeper to pick up her fourth boundary, ensuring skipper Chamari Athapaththu (3) was kept out of pressure despite her struggle to rotate the strike early on.

But India clawed their way back. The ever-reliable Deepti provided the breakthrough as Athapaththu charged down the pitch, only to top-edge the ball to skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Renuka, who quickly shrugged the rust, then returned for her second spell to deliver twin blows in the sixth over. She first dismissed the in-form Perera before completing a sharp caught-and-bowled to remove Harshitha Samarawickrama (2), leaving Sri Lanka suddenly reeling at 32 for 3.

She struck again in the 10th over, trapping Nilakshika Silva leg-before, further tightening India''s grip on the contest.

Dilhari (20) and Imesha Dulani shared a 40-run stand. But just as it looked like Sri Lanka were finding their way back in the game, Deepti struck to pick up the 150th wicket of her T20I career to get ride of Dilhari.

From there on, Deepti and Renuka continued to strike at regular intervals, ensuring Sri Lanka never regained momentum and were restricted to a below-par total. PTI APA SSC SSC