Thiruvananthapuram gifts India highest total in women’s T20I

India posted their highest T20I total in women's cricket as Kerala's capital, Thiruvananthapuram, hosted its first women's international on Sunday.

The total of 221/2 bettered a score of 217/4 set against the West Indies in Mumbai last December. India have only put more than 200 on the board in women's T20Is on four occasions.

The match at the Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, the fourth of the series, was a high-scorer throughout as Lanka did a good job in the chase, making 191/6, losing by 30 runs.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu made 52, while Arundhati Reddy and Vaishnavi Sharma claimed two wickets each.

Earlier, openers Smriti Mandhana (80) and Shafali Verma (79) gave a solid start, adding 162 runs. Richa Ghosh was instrumental in getting India to the record total with an unbeaten 40 off 16. She hit four boundaries and three sixes at a strike rate of 250. A total of 12 sixes were hit on the night, of which eight flew off Indian bats.

Harmanpreet Kaur's India have taken a 4-0 lead in the series and will be hoping to make it a clean sweep when the final match is played at the same venue on December 30.

Brief scores: India 221/2 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 80, Shafali Verma 79, Richa Ghosh 40 not out) bt Sri Lanka 191/6 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 52, Hasini Perera 33, Imesha Dulani 29, Vaishnavi Sharma 2/24, Arundhati Reddy 2/42)