Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana hit stroke-filled half-centuries in a record opening partnership to help India beat Sri Lanka by 30 runs in the fourth women's T20I and take 4-0 lead in the five-match series, here on Sunday.

Asked to bat first, openers Shafali (79) and Mandhana (80) stitched a record 162 runs to take India to 221 for 2 -- their highest in the format -- as they sent the Sri Lankan bowlers on a leather-hunt, smashing boundaries almost at will.

This was also Shafali's third half-century in a row in the series.

Later, India restricted Sri Lanka to 191 for 6 in the visiting team's 20 overs.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka with a 37-ball 52 while Hasini Perera chipped in with 33.

For India, Arundhati Reddy and Vaishnavi Sharma snapped two wickets each for 42 and 24 runs respectively.

The 162 runs knocked off by Mandhana and Shafali turned out to be the new opening stand record -- for that matter for any wicket -- for India in the women's T20Is, bettering the duo's own 143-run stand in the 84-run win against the West Indies in November 2019 at Gros Islet.

Shafali's 79 not out came from 46 balls with the help of 12 fours and one sixes while her senior partner Mandhana needed 48 balls for her 80, smashing 11 fours and three sixes.

Brief Scores:

India: 221/2 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 79, Smriti Mandhana 80; Malsha Shehani 1/32, Nimasha Meepage 1/40).

Sri Lanka: 191 for 6 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 52; Vaishnavi Sharma 2/24).

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New Delhi: The countdown has begun for the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in five states that have captured the attention of people across the country.

The counting of votes for the Assembly constituencies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry will begin simultaneously at 8 am, and the fate of candidates in a total of 824 constituencies will be decided shortly.

The counting of postal ballots will take place first, followed by the counting of EVM votes in several rounds.

► DMK candidate in Thiruchirapalli KN Nehru behind TVK's G Ramamoorthi by 292 votes

► The BJP has taken an early lead in West Bengal, while Mamata Banerjee faces tough competition

► TVK head Vijay leads in Perambur constituency

► M. K. Stalin is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Kolathur constituency.

► AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami is leading in Tamil Nadu’s Edappadi constituency

► In Puducherry, BJP is leading in 3 seats.

► In Assam, BJP is leading in 56 seats, while Congress is leading in 12 seats.

► Suvendhu Adhikari leads in both Bhabanipur and Nandigram

► West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee faces setback in Bhabanipur constituency

► Bhupen Borah, who recently left Congress and joined the BJP, is leading in Assam’s Bihpuria constituency

► Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is leading in Jalukabari constituency

► BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari is leading in West Bengal’s Nandigram constituencyFive-state elections: Postal vote counting begins

► TMC, BJP lead in one seat each in West Bengal

► In Tamil Nadu, DMK leads in 3 constituencies, while TVK leads in 1

► UDF leads in 5 seats in Kerala, BJP in 1, LDF in 1

► BJP leads in 2 seats, AIUDF in 1 in Assam

► AINRC leads in 1 constituency in Puducherry

► TMC leads in 5 seats in West Bengal; Mamata Banerjee’s party maintains initial lead

► Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin leads in Kolathur

► BJP takes early lead in Assam

► Congress-led UDF leads in Kerala

► Tamil Nadu, TVK chief Vijay leads in the Perambur constituency, lags in Tiruchirappalli South

► BJP leads in 10 seats in Assam

► LDF candidate V.P.P. Mustafa leads in the Thrikkaripur Assembly constituency

► Out of 294 seats in West Bengal, BJP is leading in 14 seats, TMC in 12 seats, Congress in 2 seats

► Out of 234 seats in Tamil Nadu, DMK is leading in 15 seats, AIADMK is leading in 5 seats, TVK is leading in 2 seats

► Out of 126 seats in Assam, BJP is leading in 31 seats, Congress in 4 seats, AIUDF in 2 seats.

► Out of 30 seats in Puducherry, NRC+ is leading in 3 seats, Congress in 2 seats, TVK in 1 seat.

► Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury suffers a setback in theBerhampore constituency in West Bengal.