Two commanding wins in India vs Sri Lanka women in Visakhapatnam have only reinforced that belief as the five-match T20I series now moves to Thiruvananthapuram.
There is a visible lightness about this Indian women’s team. The smiles are broader, the conversations more relaxed, and the confidence unmistakable. Ever since November 2, when India were crowned ODI world champions, the Women in Blue have carried themselves like a side that knows it belongs at the very top.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar admitted as much on the eve of the third T20I, calling the world champion tag “nice to have” but more importantly noting how it has translated on the field. India won the first match by eight wickets with 32 balls to spare and followed it up with a seven-wicket win with 49 deliveries remaining. The margins have been brutal, the dominance comprehensive.
“There is a pleasant change in the team,” Muzumdar said. “They seem happier on the ground.” That happiness has come with clarity. India have switched formats seamlessly, adapting from the patience of ODI cricket to the urgency of T20Is without missing a beat. Their batting has been assertive, their bowling disciplined, and their fielding sharp three pillars, with a fourth now firmly embedded.
One of the early positives of the series has been the emergence of young left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma. The 20-year-old, fresh from the Under-19 setup, picked up her first two international wickets in the second T20I and impressed the coaching staff with her control and composure.
India’s bowling unit, already deep, looks even more rounded now. Renuka Singh Thakur continues to set the tone with the new ball, Kranti Goud is growing in confidence with every outing, and the spin options offer variety and match-up flexibility something that could be decisive on the Greenfield Stadium surface.
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For Sri Lanka, the challenge is stark. Back-to-back heavy defeats have exposed familiar fault lines, particularly in batting. Scores of 121 for 6 and 128 for 9 were never going to trouble a rampaging Indian lineup, and captain Chamari Athapaththu was candid in her assessment.
“Our power game is not good enough for this format,” Athapaththu admitted. “We need to improve our middle order and how we finish games.” As mentioned in the Press Conference.
Despite the losses, Athapaththu remained upbeat, smiling through the interaction and speaking with warmth about her counterpart Harmanpreet Kaur. Calling Harmanpreet “one of the best leaders” and a figure who “changed Indian cricket,” Athapaththu underlined the mutual respect between two of Asia’s most influential cricketers.
Sri Lanka, however, need more than admiration to stay alive in the series. They need runs and quickly. Athapaththu has often been the one-woman engine of this side, capable of winning matches on her own, but the supporting cast must shoulder responsibility. Vishmi Gunaratne’s 39 off 43 balls in the first T20I and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s 33 in the second showed resistance, but the tempo was missing. In T20 cricket, intent is non-negotiable.
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India’s batters, by contrast, have made things look easy. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have set brisk foundations, Harmanpreet has controlled the middle overs, and Richa Ghosh has provided finishing muscle. Jemimah Rodrigues, who had a minor issue according to the coach, is expected to be fine, further strengthening an already formidable batting unit. Off the field, the timing couldn’t be better for Indian women’s cricket. The BCCI’s decision earlier this week to double match fees in domestic women’s cricket adds to the sense of momentum and progress around the team.
On the eve of Thiruvananthapuram’s first-ever women’s international match, the excitement is palpable. Local fans will hope for a longer Indian innings than what Visakhapatnam witnessed not because India struggled, but because they finished chases too quickly. With a packed batting lineup and a festive atmosphere expected under lights, there is anticipation of a full showcase.
For Sri Lanka, this is a must-win contest to keep the series alive. For India, it is an opportunity to seal the series early and continue building towards future global challenges. With confidence high, depth tested, and joy evident, Harmanpreet Kaur’s world champions look determined to keep their winning rhythm intact.
The match begins at 7 pm, and for Sri Lanka, the question is simple yet daunting: how do you stop a team that is not just winning, but enjoying every moment of it?
