India Women defeated Sri Lanka Women by 8 wickets with 32 balls remaining in the 1st T20I. The match took place on December 21, 2025, at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam. Jemimah Rodrigues’ fifty led India’s chase, securing a dominant start to the series.
Match Report
Sri Lanka Women posted 121/6 after batting first. Harshitha Gunaratne top-scored with 39 runs for the visitors. India’s bowlers restricted the scoring after a strong powerplay from Sri Lanka, as reported by ESPN Africa. The total was considered below-par, with increasing dew favouring the chasing side.
India Women successfully chased the target, reaching 122/2 in just 14 overs. The victory gives India a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Jemimah Rodrigues earned Player of the Match for her unbeaten innings.
Rodrigues Dominates Chase
Jemimah Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 69 off 44 balls, featuring 10 fours. Her 14th T20I fifty came off 34 balls, providing the backbone of India’s pursuit. Rodrigues navigated the chase with deft late cuts, sweeps, and quick running between the wickets, as detailed in the ESPN match report. She played her 100th T20I batting appearance in this match.
Rodrigues shared a 54-run second-wicket partnership with Smriti Mandhana, who contributed 25 off 25 balls. Later, an unbroken 55-run third-wicket stand with Harmanpreet Kaur (15* off 16 balls) sealed the win. Rodrigues accelerated the tempo post-powerplay, notably taking 16 runs from an over bowled by left-arm wrist-spinner Shashini Gimhani.
“Why waste form? 100% That was the mindset… I need to capitalise… We have to play in these conditions.”
Rodrigues stated after the match, as reported by ESPN.
Bowling Performance and Context
India’s bowlers controlled Sri Lanka’s innings after a strong start in the powerplay. Sri Lanka reached 55/1 at the end of the first six overs. Deepti Sharma claimed 1-20, Muskaan Gaud took 1-23, and Sree Charani secured 1-30. Gaud dismissed Chamari Athapaththu with a delivery seaming back at 109.2kph, a key wicket documented in the scorecard.
The Sri Lanka captain reflected on their batting performance. She acknowledged the need for a more proactive approach. This match marked India’s first fixture since their 2025 ODI World Cup win. It was also their sixth T20I victory in ten matches since their 2024 T20 World Cup exit, as noted by YouTube coverage.
“We have to play positive cricket. We played very defensive cricket… I have to show more responsibility.”
The Sri Lanka captain said.
What’s Next
India leads the three-match T20I series 1-0. The second T20I is scheduled for December 23, 2025.
The next match will be played at the same venue, ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam.
Ishaan Singh 
Govind Singh