Smriti Mandhana Shatters World Record as India Women Secure Dominant 4-0 Series Lead

In a historic display at Thiruvananthapuram, India Women secured a 30-run victory over Sri Lanka in the fourth T20I, extending their series lead to a dominant 4-0. The match was defined by a record-breaking performance from the Indian openers and a significant career milestone for Smriti Mandhana.

Mandhana’s Milestone and Record Opening Stand

Batting first for the first time in the series, India posted a massive 221 for 2, their highest-ever total in T20 Internationals. The foundation was a staggering 162-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma—the highest for any wicket in Indian Women’s T20I history.

Smriti Mandhana (80 off 48): During her knock, Mandhana became the fastest woman to reach 10,000 international runs, achieving the feat in 281 innings and surpassing the previous record held by Indian legend Mithali Raj (291 innings).

Shafali Verma (79 off 46): Verma continued her blistering form with her third consecutive half-century of the series.

Richa Ghosh (40* off 16): Promoted up the order, Ghosh provided a late-innings explosion to push the total past 220.

SriLanka’s Spirited Response

Chasing a daunting target of 222, Sri Lanka delivered their strongest batting performance of the series, finishing at 191 for 6—their highest-ever T20I score.

Chamari Athapaththu (52): The captain led from the front with a fighting half-century.

Hasini Perera (33 off 20): Provided an aggressive start that saw Sri Lanka stay ahead of the required rate during the powerplay.

Despite the visitors' intent, India’s bowling attack, led by the young Vaishnavi Sharma (2/24), proved too disciplined. Sharma was instrumental in the middle overs, claiming the crucial wicket of Athapaththu. Arundhati Reddy and Sree Charani also chipped in with wickets to seal the 30-run win.

Post-Match Reflections

Harmanpreet Kaur (India Captain): While pleased with the win, Kaur noted that the team’s fielding and catching remain areas of concern that need sharpening before the final game.

Chamari Athapaththu (SL Captain): Acknowledged the improvement in her team's batting but admitted the bowlers struggled against the world-class Indian opening pair.

Key Highlights Table

| Category | Record / Detail |

| India's Total | 221/2 (New National Record) |

| Opening Stand | 162 Runs (Highest for India Women) |

| Smriti Mandhana | Fastest to 10k International Runs (281 Innings) |

| Sri Lanka's Total | 191/6 (Their Highest T20I Total) |

| Player of the Match | S. Mandhana |