History was rewritten on Sunday night when the Indian batters wreaked havoc on the Sri Lankan bowling attack in the 4th women’s T20I in Thiruvananthapuram. After being asked to bat first, the women in blue mounted 221/2 in 20 overs, registering their highest total in Women’s T20Is.
The foundation of this colossal total was the 162-run opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, which is now the best partnership for any wicket for the country in women’s T20Is. It was also the fourth occasion when Mandhana and Shafali stitched an alliance of 100 or more, as the pair bettered their own record of 143 against the West Indies at Gros Islet in 2019.
After the openers were back in the hut, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and wicketkeeper-batter
Richa Ghosh stitched an unbeaten 53-run stand for the third wicket.
India’s Highest Totals in Women’s T20Is
| Opposition | Total | Year |
| Sri Lanka Women | 221/2 | 2025 |
| West Indies Women | 217/4 | 2024 |
| England Women | 210/5 | 2025 |
| UAE Women | 201/5 | 2024 |
India bettered their previous best score of 217/4 against the West Indies in 2024 at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana etched her name into the record books again, becoming only the fourth batter in women’s cricket to complete 10,000 international runs across formats. She joined an elite list that includes Mithali Raj, New Zealand great Suzie Bates and former England captain Charlotte Edwards, underlining her consistency and longevity at the highest level.
At the other end, Shafali Verma continued her sensational run of form in the series, registering her third successive half-century. The young opener looked well set for a maiden T20I century, but fell short despite being in complete control.
After the dismissals of both openers in quick succession, India did not lose momentum. Richa Ghosh took charge with a powerful cameo, smashing four fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 40. She added a brisk 53-run partnership for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, ensuring India surged past the 200-run mark in emphatic fashion.
(With Agency Inputs)
