India launched their tri-series campaign with a commanding nine-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka in Colombo on April 27, but the victory came with a minor blemish. The team, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, was handed a five percent match fee fine for a slow over-rate offence during the rain-reduced contest.
The penalty was handed down by ICC match referee Vanessa de Silva, following the team’s failure to bowl their allotted overs on time — falling short by one over after accounting for the permitted allowances. The breach falls under Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which outlines the consequences for over-rate violations, with a deduction of five percent of match fees for each uncompleted over.
Harmanpreet Kaur accepted the charge without contest, thus eliminating the need for a formal disciplinary hearing. The officiating team for the match included on-field umpires Anna Harris and Nimali Perera, with Lyndon Hannibal serving as third umpire and Dedunu de Silva as fourth.
Despite the sanction, India put on a clinical display across departments. Bowling first in a 39-over-per-side affair due to morning showers, they bundled Sri Lanka out for a modest total of 147. A sharp spell from Sneh Rana triggered a collapse from which the hosts couldn’t recover. Sri Lanka had been sitting at a relatively steady 54 for 1 before a flurry of wickets — nine falling for just 93 runs — saw them crash out without resistance.
Rana led the charge with figures of 3 for 32 in her eight overs, slicing through the middle order with precision. Fellow spinner Deepti Sharma (2/22) chipped in with two scalps, while debutant N Sree Charani (2/26) made an immediate impression, striking twice in her first international outing. India’s spinners were dominant throughout, accounting for seven of the ten wickets and maintaining relentless pressure.
Chasing a modest target of 148, India’s top order turned the pursuit into a formality. Smriti Mandhana (43 off 46) set the tone with a brisk start, and Pratika Rawal anchored the innings with a poise, and she remained unbeaten on 50 off 62 deliveries. Harleen Deol, batting at No. 3, continued her impressive form with a fluent 48 not out off 71 balls, playing the perfect supporting role as India coasted home with 9.2 overs and nine wickets to spare. The top three never looked troubled, dissecting the Sri Lankan attack with calm authority.
India’s dominant win set a high bar for the series ahead, even as the team will be wary of staying within the over-rate limits. With both bat and ball, they proved too strong for a struggling Sri Lankan side — and signalled early that they’re here not just to compete, but to dominate.
