Veteran all-rounder Nilakshi de Silva produced a stunning counter-attacking knock of 56 off just 33 balls to guide Sri Lanka to a thrilling three-wicket win over India in a Women’s ODI Tri-series match on May 5 (Sunday) at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. The victory was Sri Lanka’s first over India in seven years and brought them within touching distance of the tri-series final, while pushing South Africa closer to elimination.
Chasing a competitive 276, Sri Lanka completed the task with five balls to spare despite a few stumbles in the middle overs. Nilakshi’s explosive innings, which included three sixes and five boundaries, turned the momentum in Sri Lanka’s favour after they slipped to 181/5 in the 36th over.
The finishing touches were given by Anushka Sanjeewani (23* off 28) and Sugandika Kumari (19* off 20), who held their nerve in a tense chase and stitched a crucial unbroken partnership to take Sri Lanka home.
Earlier, India posted 275/9 after being put in to bat, thanks largely to a brisk 48-ball 58 from wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh. The innings had solid contributions from opener Pratika Rawal (35), Harleen Deol (29) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (30), but regular wickets prevented India from reaching an even bigger total.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers kept the Indian batting unit in check, with captain Chamari Athapaththu and left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari picking up three wickets each.
In response, Sri Lanka lost Hasini Perera early to a brilliant direct hit from Deepti Sharma, but Harshitha Samarawickrama (53 off 61) and Vishmi Gunaratne (33 off 58) stitched together a vital 78-run stand for the second wicket.
India clawed back with timely strikes, including a clever spell from Sneh Rana (3/45). However, Nilakshi’s fiery knock changed the equation completely before Sanjeewani and Sugandika sealed the famous win.
Despite the loss, India remain well-placed to make the final, having won their previous two matches convincingly. Sri Lanka, with two wins under their belt, have boosted their chances of reaching the summit clash.
