Indian Women team registered a comfortable victory in the 1st match of the ODI series, defeating the host by 9 wickets. With this win, India took a lead of 1-0 in the 3 match series.
Sri Lanka won the toss and decided to bat first. The Indian bowlers were right on the money from the start. Mansi Joshi, who was making her national comeback after eight months of injury took the first wicket by getting rid of Sri Lankan opener Prasadani Weerakkody. She took 3 wickets in her spell of 6.1 overs, giving only 16 runs, a fantastic way to make a comeback.
The veteran Jhulan Goswami took her 300th international wicket, first woman cricketer to achieve this milestone. The whole Sri Lankan team only managed to put up a score of 98 runs in 35.1 overs.
Chasing the target, Indian openers Punam Raut (24 runs off 41 balls, 2 fours) and Smriti Mandhana (73 runs off 76 balls, 11 sixes, 2 fours) gave India a flying start. Both of them had a partnership of 96 runs, taking the team to the victory line comfortably.
Indian skipper Mithali Raj also reached a milestone, as she captained India for the 118th time in ODI, most by any captain in Women cricket.
Both teams will be facing each other on 13th September for the 2nd ODI of the series at the Galle International Stadium in Galle.
