Author: Raghav Singh

Vaishnavi Sharma and Arundhati Reddy took two wickets each as India Women triumphed over Sri Lanka Women by 30 runs in the fourth T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium.

Chasing a target of 222, Sri Lanka made a strong start, racing to fifty in just 3.3 overs after India finished with 221/3, led by Smriti Mandhana’s 80 and Shafali Verma’s 79. Captain Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka with 52, as all batters came out intent on hitting boundaries. However, they couldn’t surpass India’s record score and concluded their innings at 191/6, which is now their highest total in women’s T20Is.

India faced their first real challenge of the series, as bowlers struggled with a wet ball and fielding errors were apparent. Vaishnavi Sharma excelled with figures of 2-24 in her four overs, while Arundhati Reddy took 2-42. The rest of the bowling unit found it tough to contain the aggressive Sri Lankan batters. Fortunately, India’s substantial total provided a cushion, allowing them to maintain their unbeaten streak in the series.

Sri Lanka’s intent was clear from the outset, with Hasini Perera hitting three boundaries in the opening over off Renuka Singh Thakur. Arundhati Reddy, who replaced the rested Kranti Gaud, had a challenging start, with her first two legal deliveries going for boundaries, including a no-ball that resulted in a free hit. The second over also went for 15 runs. India’s attempt to introduce spin did not pay off as Deepti Sharma’s first over conceded 13 runs, bringing Sri Lanka to 43/0.

The partnership between Hasini and Chamari flourished, reaching fifty in the fourth over before Arundhati took the first breakthrough in the sixth over, dismissing Perera for 33 off 20 balls. The opener’s attempt to clear long-off ended with a catch to Harmanpreet Kaur.

This momentarily halted Sri Lanka’s momentum, but Chamari and Imesha Dulani steadied the innings with intelligent strike rotation, reaching 95/1 at the halfway point, six runs ahead of India’s score at the same stage.

Imesha had a lucky escape when Vaishnavi Sharma nearly stumped her, but it was ruled a no-ball. Chamari brought up her fifty off just 31 balls, but she fell shortly after, caught in the deep off Vaishnavi for 52 off 37 balls.

Although Deepti dropped a catch of Harshitha Samarawickrama, it had little consequence, as Imesha was run out by a throw from Amanjot Kaur. Vaishnavi then stumped Harshitha after she was beaten in flight. The fielding continued to falter, with Richa missing another stumping and Smriti dropping a catch at long-on, giving Nilashika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari further chances. However, Kavisha fell for 13 off Arundhati, with substitute fielder G Kamalini finally securing the catch after three attempts. Deepti dropped yet another catch, this time of Rashmika Sewwandi, before she was bowled by a slower full toss from Sree Charani, pushing India ahead once more.

Brief Scores:

• India: 221/2 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 80, Shafali Verma 79, Richa Ghosh 40 not out; Malsha Shehani 1-32, Nimasha Madushani 1-40)
• Sri Lanka: 191/6 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 52, Hasini Perera 33; Vaishnavi Sharma 2-24, Arundhati Reddy 2-42)

India won by 30 runs.

Navneet Kaur (27′) and Teresa Viana (46′) scored the goals as a spirited SG Pipers defeated Ranchi Royals 2-0 in the opening match of the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26 Season at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium on Sunday.

Match Overview

The first quarter was extremely tight, showcasing end-to-end action from both teams. Defences were strong, with no penalty corners awarded in the opening minutes. Ranchi Royals’ Hannah Cotter posed a significant threat on the left flank, while SG Pipers’ Navneet Kaur and Deepika created most of the circle entries during the first half.

Rutuja Dadaso Pisal earned the first penalty corner of the match for Ranchi Royals. However, they missed the opportunity as Maria Ortiz’s dragflick was saved by the goalkeeper.

On the flip side, in the 25th minute, SG Pipers secured consecutive penalty corners. Despite Lola Riera’s attempts on goal being blocked by the Royals, the Pipers’ persistence paid off. Just two minutes later, another penalty corner resulted in a powerful shot from Captain Navneet Kaur (27′), marking the first goal of the Women’s Hero HIL 2025-26 season.

Third Quarter Action

In the third quarter, Ranchi Royals were awarded three more penalty corners but failed to convert any into goals. Early in the second half, SG Pipers exhibited excellent teamwork, with Navneet Kaur and Sunelita Toppo leading an impressive play down the left. Kaur aimed for the top corner, but Ranchi Royals’ Bichu Devi Kharibam made a crucial save.

Shortly after, the Royals came close as Lucina von der Heyde’s penalty corner shot was deflected away by Lola Riera, maintaining the Pipers’ lead. SG Pipers continued to threaten, with Preeti Dubey finding space inside the circle, but her low shot was also thwarted by the Royals’ goalkeeper.

Final Quarter Highlights

In the opening minute of the final quarter, SG Pipers extended their lead when Teresa Viana (46′) found space on the left, dribbled past the advancing Ranchi Royals’ goalkeeper, and calmly slotted the ball into the net. The Pipers successfully held on to their lead in the remaining minutes, securing a crucial victory to kick off their Hero HIL campaign on a dominant note.

All matches of the Hockey India League will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Ten 1, Sony Sports Ten 3, and DD Sports.

Smriti Mandhana struck a brilliant 80 off 48 balls, while Shafali Verma continued her excellent form, scoring 79 off 46 deliveries. This marked her third consecutive half-century in the series as India posted an impressive 221/2, their highest women’s T20I score, against Sri Lanka in the fourth T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium.

For the first time in the series, India was asked to bat first, and Smriti and Shafali laid a solid foundation with a blistering 162-run opening partnership. This is now the highest-ever partnership for the first wicket in T20Is for India.

Shafali’s innings, filled with 12 fours and a six, highlighted her rich vein of form. Smriti initially took her time but soon matched her partner stroke for stroke, accumulating 11 fours and three sixes. Although both fell in successive overs, Richa Ghosh provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 40 off just 16 balls. Her late blitz, along with Harmanpreet Kaur’s contribution of 16 not out off 10 balls, helped India add 63 runs in the last five overs.

Sri Lanka, eager to bowl first throughout the series, had only Malsha Shehani and Nimasha Madushani as wicket-takers. Now, they face the daunting task of chasing 222 runs. Much will depend on Chamari Athapaththu, who is playing her 150th T20I match, for a serious challenge against India’s imposing total.

India reached 61/0 at the end of the powerplay, with boundaries flowing freely from both Smriti and Shafali. The Sri Lankan bowlers struggled as captain Chamari cycled through her options without success.

During her innings, Smriti achieved a significant milestone, becoming just the fourth woman and the second Indian after Mithali Raj to reach 10,000 international runs. She brought up her fifty off 36 balls, while Shafali reached her half-century in just 30 balls.

After a brief slowdown during overs 7-9, where India could only muster 14 runs, Shafali and Smriti exploded, adding 74 runs in the following five overs. The acceleration was noteworthy: the first 50 runs came in 32 balls, the next in 33 balls, while the final 50 required just 21 deliveries.

Nimasha broke through in the 16th over by dismissing Shafali, who was caught and bowled, and Smriti followed soon after, falling to Malsha when her top edge was taken at backward square leg.

Richa then unleashed a devastating performance in the death overs, including a spectacular assault on Kavisha Dilhari in the 19th over, hitting three sixes and a four in four consecutive balls. She and Harmanpreet added an unbroken 50-run partnership in just 24 balls, pushing India past their previous best of 217/4 set against the West Indies in Navi Mumbai last year.

Brief scores:
India 221/2 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 80, Shafali Verma 79, Richa Ghosh 40 not out; Malsha Shehani 1-32, Nimasha Madushani 1-40) against Sri Lanka.

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana on Sunday became only the second Indian woman player, after compatriot Mithali Raj, to complete 10,000 runs in international cricket.

Smriti, who made her debut against Bangladesh in April 2013, needed 27 runs before the fourth T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram to reach this significant milestone. She achieved it in just 20 deliveries at the Greenfield International Stadium, eventually scoring 80 off 48 balls. This innings marked her 32nd fifty, featuring 11 fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 170.2.

In addition to Mithali, Smriti joins New Zealand’s Suzie Bates and former England player turned coach Charlotte Edwards as the only women to reach this impressive landmark.

Her statistics include 629 runs in seven Tests and 5,322 runs in 117 ODIs. Mithali Raj, the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket, retired with 10,868 runs across formats, and Smriti has the opportunity to surpass that total.

Earlier, while scoring a run-a-ball 25 during the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, Smriti became the first Indian batter and the second overall, after Suzie, to complete 4,000 runs in Women’s T20Is.

The left-handed opener was the second-highest run-scorer in India’s triumphant Women’s ODI World Cup campaign, amassing 434 runs in nine innings at an average of 54.25.

Smriti also finished 2025 as the highest run-getter in ODIs, scoring 1,362 runs in 23 innings, which included five fifties and five centuries. Furthermore, she became the first Indian woman to score a century in all three formats of the game.

Following the conclusion of the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka on December 30, Smriti will captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL), starting on January 9. RCB will face Harmanpreet Kaur-led Mumbai Inddigihunt in the opening match at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

Yuvraj Sandhu Clinches Tata Open 2025, Sets New PGTI Record

Yuvraj Sandhu, who secured the 2025 PGTI Order of Merit crown following his sixth victory of the season, added another title to his resume with a one-stroke win at the Tata Open 2025. This marks a record seven titles for him in the season.

The 28-year-old Sandhu, with round scores of 67-64-68-65, shot a final round of six-under 65, capped off by a birdie on the last hole, totaling 20-under 264 for the week at the INR 2 crore event. The tournament was hosted at the Beldih and Golmuri Golf Courses in Jamshedpur.

Sandhu’s remarkable performance has also earned him a spot on the DP World Tour for 2026, thanks to his top position in the PGTI Ranking. He set a new record for the most wins in a single PGTI season, having equaled the previous record of six wins held by Manu Gandas since 2022 just two weeks prior.

Shubham Jaglan, a 21-year-old from Chandigarh and Sandhu’s overnight joint leader, finished with a bogey-free five-under 66 in the final round, totaling 19-under 265 for the week. This marks Jaglan’s second runner-up finish in only his third PGTI appearance.

Khalin Joshi and Veer Ahlawat finished tied for third at 14-under 270.

Yuvraj Sandhu received a winning cheque of INR 30 lakh, bringing his season earnings to an impressive INR 1,91,67,100. This achievement also surpasses the previous record for season earnings on the PGTI, which was set at INR 1,56,35,724 by Veer Ahlawat in 2024.

Hailing from the Chandigarh Golf Club, Sandhu secured seven titles and achieved seven other top-10 finishes this season, including three runner-up positions.

Sri Lankan N. Thangaraja, a three-time PGTI winner this year, finished second in the rankings with season earnings of INR 1,18,21,821. He secured fifth place at Jamshedpur with a total score of 13-under 271.

During the tournament, the field was split across Beldih Golf Club and Golmuri Golf Club for the first two rounds, then the leading groups transitioned between both courses in the final rounds. The combined par for the courses was 71.

Sandhu was off to a strong start with birdies on the first two holes and continued to convert putts from seven to eight feet. Despite two bogeys on the back nine, he secured three additional birdies and sealed his victory with a 15-foot birdie on the 18th.

Jaglan kept pace with Sandhu for much of the day, making three birdies on the front nine and two more on the back. Despite his strong performance, he was unable to catch Sandhu after the decisive birdie on the 18th.

“I was determined to end the season with a good performance, and I’m glad that I managed to achieve that today. Hats off to Shubham for competing hard and pushing me till the end. He played really well and is destined for bigger things,” Sandhu stated. “Standing on the birdie putt on the last hole, I just wanted to put enough pace on it as I had left some putts short earlier in the week. The line and speed of the putt turned out to be perfect.”

“This has been my best season ever, and winning a record seven titles has been special. It’s yet to sink in. It is always good to have records in your name. I’ve also ticked some important boxes this year, like winning at Delhi Golf Club and winning the TATA Open. I’ve seen all the greats win the TATA Open in the past, so I always had a burning desire to win here in Jamshedpur, playing across two courses,” he added.

Local player Kurush Heerjee finished tied for 51st at 13-over 297.

Manoj S Wins PGTI Emerging Player of the Year

Seventeen-year-old rookie Manoj S. from Bengaluru claimed the PGTI Emerging Player of the Year title, achieving the highest season earnings among rookies at INR 37,21,945. He finished tied for 12th place at six-under 278 in the season-ending event and secured the 21st position in the PGTI Order of Merit, thanks to seven top-10 finishes this season.

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar stated that the association will consult India batter Shreyas Iyer regarding his availability for the later stages of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Iyer has been at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) since December 25 for further assessment of his recovery from a serious spleen injury sustained during the third ODI against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in October.

“No, we have not spoken to Shreyas yet. But we will speak to him about his availability. As of now, there is no official confirmation on this. But it may come in the next few days from him,” Khanvilkar said.

A day before arriving at the CoE in Bengaluru, Iyer had resumed batting after restarting lightweight gym training. He batted for nearly 30-34 minutes at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) nets in Mumbai.

A source tracking Iyer’s recovery mentioned that if everything goes well and clearance from CoE is obtained, Iyer could participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Jaipur on January 3 and 6.

It will be notable to see if the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee includes Iyer in the squad for three ODIs against New Zealand, starting in Vadodara on January 11. The Agarkar-led panel is set to convene to finalize the squad in the first week of January.

“The progress of Shreyas in CoE has been good so far. He’s targeting maybe the last two Vijay Hazare Trophy games to return to playing action. It’s up to selectors now to decide on his return to the ODI team,” the source added.

If Iyer returns to the ODI setup, it will significantly bolster the side, which is looking to strengthen its plans for the 2027 World Cup. Following the series opener in Vadodara, India and New Zealand will compete in the next two ODIs in Rajkot and Indore on January 14 and 18, respectively.

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of selection for the fourth women’s T20I against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium due to weakness from a mild fever, as announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The BCCI stated, “Ms Jemimah Rodrigues was unavailable for selection in the 4th T20I in Thiruvananthapuram due to weakness arising from mild fever. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress and recovery.”

In Jemimah’s absence, batting all-rounder Harleen Deol has been included in the playing eleven for the match, where India will bat first against Sri Lanka for the first time in the ongoing series. The hosts currently hold an unassailable 3-0 lead.

Jemimah has been a key performer in the series, scoring 69 not out, 26, and nine, and is the second leading run-getter after opener Shafali Verma. Her unbeaten 69 has also pushed her to ninth place in the women’s T20I batting rankings, jumping five spots.

Despite missing Sunday’s match, Jemimah has had a remarkable 2025, ranking third among India’s run-scorers with 771 runs in ODIs and 212 runs in T20Is. She played a crucial role in India’s historic ODI World Cup victory, scoring an unbeaten 127 against Australia in the semi-final before the team triumphed over South Africa in the final at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

This month, Jemimah was named captain of Delhi Capitals for the fourth season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), taking over from Meg Lanning, who led the team to the final in each of the first three editions. Jemimah served as vice-captain but was not retained by the franchise for the upcoming season.

Harleen Deol and Arundhati Reddy have been added to India’s playing eleven, as Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bowl first in the fourth T20I. India has already established a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

This marks the first occasion in the series that India will bat first, having previously opted to bowl and efficiently chased down modest totals.

Harleen Deol and Arundhati Reddy have been included in India’s playing eleven, as Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl first in the fourth T20I at the Greenfield International Stadium. India already holds an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

This will mark the first time India bats in the series, previously opting to bowl and leveraging dew to chase down modest totals smoothly. Harleen replaces an unwell Jemimah Rodrigues, while Arundhati, who participated in the first two games in Visakhapatnam, steps in for a rested Kranti Gaud.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur mentioned, “We were looking to bat today. This is an ideal series to give everyone a chance. Glad it is all coming to plan. I’m really happy everyone is coming up and giving their best. I am not putting any target in mind. Hopefully, we set a good total.”

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, playing in her 150th T20I, stated that Rashmika Sewwandi and Kawya Kavindi have entered their playing eleven in place of the rested Malki Madara and Inoka Ranaweera. “We batted first in the last three matches. Chasing will be a little bit easier with the dew coming in. We have to play our best cricket. 140 will be a good score to chase,” she said.

The match on Sunday will take place on pitch number seven, with square boundaries measuring 59m and 60m, while the straight boundary extends to 70m. Mithali Raj and Shebani Bhaskar noted that the pitch appears browner compared to the previous game, having some grass shaved off, offering favorable conditions for batting while also providing seamers assistance if they maintain a disciplined 6-8m length targeting the stumps.

Playing XIs:

India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Vaishnavi Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Sree Charani.

Sri Lanka: Hasini Perera, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Malsha Shehani, Rashmika Sewwandi, Kawya Kavindi, and Nimesha Madushani.

India’s left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to join the Mumbai squad ahead of their Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) match against Goa on December 31, confirmed Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar.

Jaiswal’s Return After Illness

Jaiswal, who turns 24 on Sunday, missed Mumbai’s opening two matches in Jaipur due to his recovery from acute gastroenteritis. “Yashasvi will play in the game against Goa, which is happening on December 31. He will be joining the team either on the evening of the 29th or the morning of the 30th,” Khanvilkar said.

Earlier this month, Jaiswal was hospitalized with stomach cramps after Mumbai’s final Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Super League fixture against Rajasthan, with tests confirming acute gastroenteritis. Doctors had advised a week’s rest.

Mumbai Changes Ahead of Goa Match

With veteran India opener Rohit Sharma having opened the batting for Mumbai in the first two matches, Jaiswal is now set to replace him in the lineup against Goa, which will be played at the Anantam Ground on New Year’s Eve.

Jaiswal is expected to feature in more matches for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, although his availability will depend on India’s squad selection for the three-game ODI series against New Zealand, starting in Vadodara on January 11.

Notable Performance

In the series decider against South Africa, Jaiswal scored 116 not out—his maiden ODI century—as India won by nine wickets at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. He had opened the innings with Rohit Sharma and is set to team up with the former India captain once again.

Mumbai’s Strong Start

Mumbai, led by India’s seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, has made a strong start to their 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign. They defeated Sikkim by eight wickets in their first Elite Group C clash, followed by a 51-run victory over Uttarakhand. Mumbai will next face Chhattisgarh in round three of the competition at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground on Monday.