Smriti Mandhana Rested in IND vs SL Women 5th T20I
The India Women’s National Cricket Team surprised fans by leaving out star opener Smriti Mandhana from the playing XI for the fifth and final INDW vs SL-W T20I in Thiruvananthapuram.
The reason, however, was purely tactical. With India already leading the series 4–0, the team management chose to rest senior players and test their bench strength.
Harmanpreet Kaur Confirms Squad Rotation
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed at the toss that both Mandhana and Renuka Singh Thakur were rested for workload management.
“Smriti and Renuka are resting today. Kamalini is going to debut and Sneh Rana is back,” Harmanpreet said.
The move reflects India’s long-term planning in women’s cricket, especially with multiple ICC tournaments on the horizon.
Gunalan Kamalini Creates Buzz With India Debut 🇮🇳
One of the biggest highlights of the India vs Sri Lanka Women T20 was the debut of Gunalan Kamalini, a 17-year-old batting prodigy who earned her maiden international cap.
Opening the innings alongside Shafali Verma, Gunalan Kamalini became one of the youngest Indian women to feature in a T20I, instantly drawing attention from fans and experts alike.
IND W vs SL W: India’s Playing XI Highlights
India fielded a balanced side combining youth and experience, featuring:
- Shafali Verma at the top
- Gunalan Kamalini on debut
- Richa Ghosh behind the stumps
- Middle-order led by Harmanpreet Kaur
- All-round depth with Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma
- Bowling support from Arundhati Reddy and Sneh Rana
Sri Lanka Look to Build for the Future
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu won the toss and opted to bowl first, stating that the tour has been a learning experience for her young squad against a dominant Indian side.