Sri Lanka women vs India women: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol star as IND start Tri-series win huge win

Pratika Rawal scored and unbeaten half-century and contributions from Smriti Mandhana (43) and Harleen Deol (48 not out) helped India women demolish Sri Lanka women by nine wickets in the first ODI of the Tri-Nation Series on Sunday in Colombo.

Following a rain delay, the match was reduced to 39 overs per side. Batting first, Sri Lanka were never in the game as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Opener Hasini Perera was the top-scorer for the hosts.

Following a three-hour delay, the Indian bowlers used the conditions to perfection and didn't allow the Sri Lankan batters to settle down. All-rounder Sneh Rana was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3/31.

Debutant Nallapureddy Charani also had an impressive game with 2/26. Medium pacer Kashvee Gautam, who was also playing her first game, too bowled well with an economical spell of 0/28 in eight overs.

Arundhati Reddy (1/26) and Deepti Sharma (2/22) also took wickets as Sri Lanka women were bowled out for 147 in 38.1 overs. In reply, playing her seventh game, Rawal continued her rich form to anchor the innings with maturity.

She first put on 54 runs off 59 balls with Mandhana and an unbroken 95-run stand off 120 balls with Deol to power India past the finish line in 29.4 overs. India will next face South Africa on April 29.

Pratika Rawal named Player of the Match

Named Player of the Match, Rawal thanked Mandhana and said she just played according to the situation. "I'm just trying to play according to the merit of the ball, nothing special, I've a partner who is doing good at supporting me. Just playing according to the situation of the match.

“I think the bowling was good, there wasn't a lot in it for the bowlers in the second innings, it was coming on nicely, no swing or seam, we just had to pick the gaps,” she added.