Sri Lanka Make More History By Knocking India Out

Sri Lanka Make More History By Knocking India Out

Udeshika Prabodhani is congratulated after she picked up the prize wicket of Mithali Raj

©International Cricket Council

Sri Lanka Women 282-5 (Rasangika 84) beat
Indian Women 144 (Malhotra 38) by 138 runs
Women's World Cup Group A, Mumbai
Scorecard
Report by John Pennington

Sri Lanka Women proved that their stunning victory over England was no fluke, completely outplaying India Women to qualify for the Super Sixes of the Women's World Cup with a 138-run win in Mumbai.

The result knocked India out of the tournament after they failed to even get close to the score of 251 that would have seen them through at the West Indies' expense.

Four players scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka Women posted a new national record score of 282 for five before India were bowled out for just 144 in reply.

While Sri Lanka will now advance to take on Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, India are left only with a chance to finish seventh place with a match against Pakistan in store on Thursday (7th February).

Deepika Rasangika's 84 in 109 balls is the highest World Cup score by a Sri Lankan woman while Yasoda Mendis, Shashikala Siriwardene and Eshani Kaushalya also passed fifty.

Kaushalya, whose late surge inspired Sri Lanka's upset win over England in their first game, played another gem of an innings, hitting a string of powerful straight shots to make 56 in 31 balls.

Mendis made 55 in 80 and Siriwardene 59 in 67 deliveries as Sri Lanka easily overtook their previous best effort of 251 for five despite Jhulan Goswami returning three for 63.

The bulk of those runs were conceded in her early spell as she, Amita Sharma (1-41) and Shublakshmi Sharma (0-52) offered Mendis and Rasangika countless opportunities to score by bowling too wide and too short.

Chamara Atapattu had fallen early, well caught at slip by Mithali Raj off Goswami in the first over but India would not be celebrating again for nearly 24 overs.

Mendis hit eight fours in her innings while Rasangaka hit 11, the left-hander taking advantage of the width to cut well through the off side but was also versatile enough to step across her stumps and hit powerfully into the leg side.

Mendis fell when she was caught by Gouher Sultana off Amita Sharma but there was no respite for India as Siriwardene came in and helped Sri Lanka accelerate towards the end of their innings.

The end of Rasangika's outstanding innings came when she was run out by Reema Malhotra and although Goswami bowled Sripali Weerakkody with a spearing yorker that removed off stump, there was nowhere the home side could bowl at Kaushalya, whose six fours and three sixes left India with a tough task.

It proved to be one they weren't up to and they failed to put any sort of partnerships together, failing to cope with Sri Lanka's excellent work with the ball and in the field.

First to be dismissed was Poonam Raut, who was trapped in front by Sri Lanka's all-action heroine Kaushalya before Thirush Kamini (22) and Mithali Raj (20) tried to repair the damage.

They were unable to do so for any length of time, Sripali Weerakkody having Kamini caught behind and Udeshika Prabodhani trapped Raj in front.

Harmanpreet Kaur scored a brilliant century against England in India's previous match but illustrated just how fickle sport can be when she lasted no more than two balls, caught by Atapattu off Chamini Seneviratne without scoring.

Inoka Ranaweera then bowled Karu Jain to leave India  at 69 for five, the match over as a contest. India's players and fans were stunned, each incoming player looking as if they were unable to comprehend what they were being drawn into - India's first ever ODI defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, on the biggest stage of all. Dumped out of their own party before it has really got going.

Reema Malhotra struck some lusty blows including four fours but her 38, Jhulan Goswami's 22 and Gouher Sultana's 12 not out were in vain. The wickets kept on tumbling and the first seven fell to seven different bowlers before Seneviratne and Siriwardene struck again to remove Ekta Bisht (1) and Shublakshmi Sharma (4) while Malhotra was finally run out.

Sri Lanka bowled superbly well, sticking to their disciplines and barely allowing India scoring opportunities. They were sharp in the field; Malhotra's run out coming after a fine sliding stop from Kaushalya and assured in the deep.

Sri Lanka go into the Super Sixes with two points - as will England and the West Indies, but make no mistake, if they can continue to produce this sort of performance, they may yet have a major bearing on the outcome of this tournament.

© Cricket World 2013