India will face Malaysia in their next clash at the Women’s T20 Asia Cup on Monday.

And that is it from the opener for India. A clinical win that will give them immense confidence. They will, of course, have to worry about not being able to finish very well with the bat. Harmanpreet pointed out the lack of runs there, as well. However, things are looking up for India in this campaign.

Player of the match Jemimah Rodrigues (76 off 53): I was eager to play, after not touching the bat for six weeks. But my parents, coaches and the staff helped me to recover, so thanks to them. I would like to thank Mumbai where it’s hot, so I got acclimatised to it. I had plans and had prepared well to play on slow, turning tracks which helped to express myself today.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur: After losing crucial wickets, Jemi played really well, that’s what we were expecting from her. It was not easy after coming back from injury, but we backed her during her tough times and she worked hard in the NCA as well. After losing my wicket, we were short by 20 runs. Had I and Jemi continued, we would’ve looked at 200, but it’s a learning process for us as a team.

End of innings: A calm and composed effort from India sees them thump Sri Lanka for a 41-run win. First, Jemimah’s knock and her partnership with Harmanpreet helped them post 150. The Indian bowlers then ensured they picked up regular wickets to never let Sri Lanka have the momentum in the chase. D Hemalatha remains the pick of the bowlers with 3/15. A great way to begin the campaign for India!

INDIA WIN BY 41 runs!

18.2: Achini Kulasuriya 1(4) st Richa Ghosh b D Hemalatha, Sri Lanka 109 all out Hemalatha also gets her second. Lures the batter out of the crease and she swings and misses. Richa Ghosh behind the stumps, does the rest.

WICKET! 17.2: Hasini Perera 30(32) ct Radha Yadav b Deepti Sharma, Sri Lanka 108/9 Just one wicket to win for India now. Their highest-scorer Perera departs for 30. Deepti Sharma with her second.

WICKET! 16.4: Sugandika Kumari 4(3) ct Smriti Mandhana b D Hemalatha, Sri Lanka 106/8 Sri Lanka at the risk of not completing their quota of 20 overs now. They keep finding the fielders. Hemalatha lures Sugandika into a lofted cover drive only to find Mandhana there.

WICKET! 16.1: Oshadi Ranasinghe 11(10) ct Sneh Rana b D Hemalatha, Sri Lanka 102/7 Another one bites the dust. Now, Ranasinghe goes. It’s yet another attempt for a slogsweep that doesn’t work out. She finds Sneh Rana in the deep.

Sri Lanka 91/6 (15 overs): Perera with a sweep over midwicket for four and she has already turned it into a good over, considering the boundaries are so hard to come for Sri Lanka. 9 runs off the over.

Sri Lanka 82/6 (14 overs): Radha Yadav brings her first wicket and Sri Lanka have more than half their lineup back in the hut. Just the three runs off it.

WICKET! 13.5: Anushka Sanjeewani 5(9) lbw Radha Yadav, Sri Lanka 81/6 Sanjeewani was attempting the slog sweep but misses and the ball hits the pad in front. Sri Lanka six down.

Sri Lanka 81/5 (13 overs): Perera is now looking to find the gaps and she finds one as she pulls through the backward square leg. 7 runs off the over. Two back-to-back good overs for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka 72/5 (12 overs): Almost a run-out opportunity again but Sanjeewani slides the bat in just in time. A boundary straight down the ground by Perera to release the pressure in the final delivery. 11 runs off the Sneh Rana over.

Sri Lanka 61/5 (11 overs): Another close call in the final delivery but the umpire doesn’t think it’s hitting. Four runs and a wicket in this Vastrakar over.

WICKET! 10.5: Kavisha Dilhari 1(8) ct Renuka Singh b Pooja Vastrakar, Sri Lanka 61/5 Yeah, the pressure is getting too much. Sri Lanka haven’t helped themselves with by keeping the run rate lagging but the Indian bowlers are giving nothing away. A good length delivery outside off that she mishits to mid on and Vastrakar has her second wicket.

Sri Lanka 57/4 (10 overs): Just the one run off the over. India are keeping things very tight here. The Sri Lankan batters in immense pressure here. They are falling behind the required run rate.

Sri Lanka 56/4 (9 overs): Another opportunity there but India miss. Had there been a direct hit, Perera would have been in trouble. Just the solitary run and a wicket off the over.

WICKET! 8.3: Nilakshi De Silva 3(5) lbw Pooja Vastrakar, Sri Lanka 56/4 Pooja has De Silva plumb. Right in front of the off-stump, the ball pitched outside off and then came back in to beat the inside edge and then the pad outside off.

Sri Lanka 46/2 (8 overs): 8 runs and a wicket off the over. It would have been economical had it not been the three wides given after Richa missed the ball. Kavisha Dilhari is the new batter in.

WICKET! 7.2: Harshitha Madavi 26(20) Run Out Smriti Mandhana, Sri Lanka 48/3 Horrible mix-up from Sri Lanka! Madavi is caught ball-watching as Perera takes off for a quick single. A simple run out for India.

Sri Lanka 46/2 (7 overs): Deepti largely sticks to fuller lengths, just the four runs off the over.

Sri Lanka 42/2 (6 overs): Richa is back to keep wickets. Must have been cramps then. An eventful powerplay comes to a close with a 3-run Radha Yadav over.

WICKET! 5.1: Malsha Shehani 9(6) Run Out Deepti Sharma That is some run out by Deepti Sharma! Picks up the ball at point, does a 360 turn and nails the throw. Batter well short, no confusions this time. Sri Lanka 39/2

Sri Lanka 39/1 (5 overs): More good intent from SL here. A boundary each for the two batters in Rana’s over. SL making the right moves early on.

Sri Lanka 29/1 (4 overs): Malsha Shehani is the new batter in.

WICKET! 3.3: Chamari Athapaththu 5(11) ct Renuka Singh b Deepti Sharma Wily from Deepti. She has troubled Chamari a fair bit already today and the attempted release of pressure goes awry for the SL captain. Slog sweep goes nowhere, Renuka takes the catch at square leg. But while that was happening, Richa seems to have injured her right leg. Sri Lanka 25/1

Sri Lanka 25/0 (3 overs): Corrected score.

Sri Lanka 25/0 (3 overs): There is more spin on show and not a surprise given the previous over. Harmanpreet goes to Sneh Rana. But Samarawickrama is in good touch here, lovely lofted shot down the ground for four.

Sri Lanka 19/0 (2 overs): That is a very interesting over. Deepti keeps persisting with the angle from over the wicket with the turn against Chamari, ball keeping low. A brief run out at non-striker’s window too but she stops in her stride as she does often. The over ends with a mishit slice that goes over mid-off for four.

Sri Lanka 13/0 (1 over): Three boundaries in the opening over for Samarawickrama. One throughthe covers... one through the leg side... the third a bit streaky past short third.

Jemimah Rodrigues in T20Is: 

 Most runs - vs Sri Lanka 

Highest score - vs Sri Lanka (76 today) 

Best average - vs Sri Lanka 

 Best strike rate (more than 1 inns) - vs Sri Lanka 

Most fifties - vs Sri Lanka 

Sri Lankan openers Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu are in the middle. Renuka Singh to open the bowling for India.

India innings: Sharp fielding from Sri Lanka and some good spin bowling from India on what seems a low, slow wicket. But India reached 150 thanks to Jemimah’s brilliant knock. A handy 33-run contribution from Harmanpreet ensured a partnership that steadied the ship after Smriti and Shafali’s dismissals. Sri Lanka to chase 151.

India 150/6 (20 overs): Powered by Jemimah’s fiery knock and a handy contribution by skipper Harmanpreet, India finish with 150. They faltered in the start and towards the end but this is a competitive total.

WICKET! 19.5: Pooja Vastrakar 1(2) Run Out Kavisha Dilhari, India 149/6 The third umpires reckon Pooja was short and so just one delivery before the end of the innings, India lose another wicket.

WICKET! 18.6: Richa Ghosh 9(6) lbw Oshadi Ranasinghe, India 145/5 A massive six over midwicket in that over but she’s caught LBW in the final delivery. Again, the ball stayed low and it struck her right infront of middle stump.

WICKET! 17.4: Jemimah Rodrigues 76(53) b Chamari Athapaththu, India 134/4 End of a great innings from Jemimah! India needed that after the early dismissals of the openers. She seemed to look tired at the end of it though. And it’s skipper Athapaththu who gets her with her spin, keeps it low as it crashes into the stumps.

India 127/3 (17 overs): Relentless Rodrigues! She just keeps finding the gaps. A boundary over long on first, followed by one off the backward of square on the off-side. Was important to keep the momentum in the team’s favour after Harmanpreet’s dismissal. 11 runs off the over.

India 104/2 (16 overs): A boundary from Jemimah in the first delivery, another one over extra cover by Harmanpreet followed by a six and then the wicket. Phew! 12 runs and a wicket off Ranasinghe’s over.

WICKET! 15.5: Harmanpreet Kaur 33(30) st Anushka Sanjeewani b Oshadi Ranasinghe, India 115/3 What an eventful over! Two back to back boundaries and she was looking to go big on the next one too. Comes down the pitch but is stumped by Sanjeewani.

India 104/2 (15 overs): Just the four runs off Sungandika’s over. She completes her spell with 4-0-26-1.

Harmanpreet seems to be doing okay now, probably cramps or exhaustion. Returns to the crease now.

An injury concern for Harmanpreet there as she seems to be getting treatment for her hamstring.

India 100/2 (14 overs): Jemimah with a lovely sweep over square leg for four against Shehani. 100 up for India and the partnership between Harmanpreet and Jemimah is now 77 runs. The Sri Lankan bowling has plateaued at the moment, the two Indian batters are tackling them with relative ease now.

India 92/2 (13 overs): Harmanpreet shimmies down the pitch and drives one past midwicket. The current run rate is looking up for India. 11 runs off the over.

India 81/2 (12 overs): Stunning from Jemimah as she brings up her fifty off 38 deliveries. In just the first delivery off the over, dhe dances down the pitch and sends the ball over long on for a six. Class! 11 runs off the over.

India 70/2 (11 overs): First boundary off Harmanpreet’s bat and she sweeps it past square. 9 runs off the over.

Meanwhile, something rather important regarding the women’s game. Women and not girls!

India 61/2 (10 overs): Two back-to-back overs with no boundaries conceded by Sri Lanka. Just the four runs off it. Halfway through the innings and the acceleration in the next couple of overs will be crucial now.

India 57/2 (9 overs): Just the three runs off Inoka Ranaweera’s first over. Spin, the way to go for Sri Lanka.

India 54/2 (8 overs): Jemimah continues to steady the ship. Two boundaries off that over - a gentle drive off cover followed by one over mid-wicket. The runs aren’t coming as smoothly for Harmanpreet yet but the scoring rate for India is coming up. 10 runs off that over.

India 44/2 (7 overs): A glorious cover drive for four and a shot over fine leg for nearly a six (also a four) in that over by Jemimah. She is looking in good touch.

India 33/2 (6 overs): Jemimah looks in great touch! Almost like the break due to injury did not happen. It is just what India need at the moment. A drive over extra cover in the first delivery, and another one in the third. 9 runs off the over.

India 24/2 (5 overs): Just the solitary run from Jemimah in Achini Kulasuriya’s first over. Sri Lanka have managed to put the pressure on with those early wickets and quieten things here.

WICKET! 3.6: Shafali Verma 10(11) ct Malsha Shehani b Oshadi Ranasinghe, India 23/2 That’s two wickets in the powerplay for Sri Lanka. Great start! Unfortunately for Shafali, the runs are still not coming. Another brilliant effort in the deep, this time from Malsha Shehani after Shafali fails to deposit that one over long-on.

India 19/1 (3 overs): Jemimah brings up a boundary in just the second delivery she faces. Good signs. A late cut to steer the ball for a four behind point. A wicket and 7 runs off Sugandika’s second over.

WICKET! 2.2: Smriti Mandhana 6(7) ct Nilakshi De Silva b Sugandika Kumari, India 13/1 A stunning fielding effort at long-off as Nilakshi de Silva takes the catch. The dropped catch does not cost them much after all.

India 12/1 (2 overs): And a boundary by Smriti Mandhana now. Punishes the high full-toss for a four over long-on. A missed opportunity for Sri Lanka later as she’s dropped at cover.

India 6/0 (1 over): A boundary in the first over... a square cut past point by Shafali Verma. Her skipper has spoken about wanting to back her and she will be hoping to repay that faith. 6 runs off the over.

Indian openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana are out in the middle. Sugandika Kumari will open the attack for Sri Lanka.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who missed the England tour due to rehab for a wrist injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, is back into the side. She was in great form at the Commonwealth Games and so it will be interesting to see if she’s in the same rhythm again.

Teams:

India Playing XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh(w), Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh

Sri Lanka Playing XI: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Harshitha Madavi, Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Malsha Shehani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya

TOSS: Sri Lanka have won the toss and opted to field first.

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 clash between India and Sri Lanka at the Sylhet Outer Cricket Stadium.

Earlier in the day, defending champions Bangladesh began their campaign with a nine-wicket win over Thailand. Harmanpreet Kaur-led India now begin their campaign with an opener against Sri Lanka.

In the pre-match press conference, the skipper said the tournament serves a good opportunity to give players enough game-time. India lost the recent T20I series in England 1-2 but went on to sweep the three-match ODI series. However, they will look to fine-tune their team-composition in the shortest format and keep their dominant record at this tournament intact.

Squads:

India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Sabbhineni Meghana, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Dayalan Hemalatha, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Richa Ghosh(w), Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh, Kiran Navgire, Jemimah Rodrigues, Meghna Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

Sri Lanka: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Harshitha Madavi, Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Malsha Shehani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya, Tharika Sewwandi, Madushika Methtananda, Rashmi Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana