Sri Lanka Women suffer their third defeat

Verma India shone Women’s yet again Shafali with a blistering 34-ball 47 after spinner Radha Yadav's career best 4 for 23 powered India to a seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women in the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup Group ‘A’ match played at Melbourne yester-day

With this win, their consecutive fourth, India Women entered the semi-finals with an all-win record.

Verma, the 16- year- old opening batter, smashed seven fours and a six in her brisk knock as India Women completed the chase of 114 with 32 balls to spare. Earlier, Radha tore apart the rival batting line up with a career best four- wicket haul to help India Women restrict Sri Lanka Women to a modest 113 for nine.

The left-arm spinner ran through the Sri Lankan Women batting line- up, claiming the prized scalp of in- form skipper Chamari Atapattu, in the process.

Opting to bat, Sri Lanka Women were dealt an early blow when opener Umesha Thimashini (2) tried to go for a big shot off a Deepti Sharma delivery but was caught by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the third over.

Skipper Atapattu ( 33), who has shined throughout the tournament, continued to attack, hitting five fours and a six. She stitched a 30- run partnership with Harshitha Madavi, who chipped in with 12. Kavisha Dilhari played a good hand scoring an unbeaten 25 runs.

A l l - rounder Sathya Sandeepani made Sri Lanka Women’s Twenty20 debut yesterday. Sri Lanka Women will take on Bangladesh Women in their next Group Match to be p l ayed tomor row at Melbourne.