Deepti, Krishnamurthy steer India to clean sweep

Ranchi, Feb 19:

Medium-pacer Deepti Sharma grabbed six wickets haul before Veda Krishnamurthy scored a half-century as India women completed 3-0 clean sweep after posting a comfortable seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI here today.
Deepti followed up her four-for in the previous game with figures of six for 20 to bundle out Sri Lanka for a meagre 112 in 38.2 overs. India then crossed the target in just 29.3 overs with Veda Krishnamurthy top-scoring with an unbeaten 61.
Sri Lanka got off to a good start after electing to bat, with openers Yasoda Mendis (14) and Prasadani Weerakkody (19) adding 33 before Deepti took two wickets in two consecutive deliveries to trigger a dramatic collapse.
Although captain Shashikala Siriwardene (14) and Dilani Manodara (23) later combined for a 32-run sixth-wicket stand, wickets kept falling and Sri Lanka were ultimately bowled out for 112 from 94 for five at one stage.
Debutant Preeti Bose also put up an impressive show, returning figures of 8-4-8-2.
India’s chase started in a shaky fashion as the home team lost both openers Poonam Raut and Smriti Mandhana cheaply.
While Poonam was dismissed for a duck in the very first over, Mandhana was run-out soon after for six. (PTI)