Cricket / India Women Retain Asian Games Gold, Crush Sri Lanka by 147 Runs

Nisshin, Sep 22: India’s women’s cricket team produced a record‑breaking performance Tuesday to defend their Asian Games gold medal, crushing Sri Lanka by a massive 147 runs in the final at Korogi Sports Park.

The Women in Blue dominated both with bat and ball. Vice‑captain Smriti Mandhana led the charge with a scintillating 79 off 45 balls, smashing seven sixes and five fours. Her knock not only powered India to a mammoth 216/3 but also saw her become the first player in women’s cricket to complete 11,000 international runs.

Mandhana found strong support from Shafali Verma, who followed up her semifinal century against Bangladesh with a brisk 48 from 29 balls, including three fours and three sixes.

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Later, Richa Ghosh provided the finishing flourish, hammering an unbeaten 49 off just 22 deliveries, while Bharti Fulmali chipped in with a run‑a‑ball seven. Together, they propelled India to the highest total in Women’s Asian Games history and the highest score ever in a Women’s T20 final, surpassing Brazil’s 210 against Spain earlier this year.

Sri Lanka’s chase never took off. India’s bowlers dismantled their batting line‑up with relentless precision. Deepti Sharma was the standout, claiming three wickets, while Shafali, Shreyanka Patil, and world No. 1 T20I bowler Sree Charani shared six wickets between them.

Shafali struck early, removing Imesha Dulani and Hasini Perera, before Deepti delivered the killer blow by dismissing Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu for 29. From there, wickets tumbled at regular intervals as Sri Lanka folded for just 69.

India’s emphatic win not only secured their first gold medal of the ongoing Asiad but also marked their seventh overall medal at the Games. It was a repeat of the 2023 Asian Games final and the recent Women’s Asia Cup summit clash, both of which India had won against the same opponents.

With records shattered and their dominance reaffirmed, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has etched another golden chapter in Indian women’s cricket, proving once again that they remain the undisputed queens of the continental stage.

Brief Scores: India beat 216/3 (Smriti Mandhana 79 off 45 balls, Richa Ghosh 49* from 22 balls; Chamudi Praboda 1-34, Kavisha Dilhari 1-35) Sri Lanka (Chamari Athapaththu 29 from 21 balls, Kaushani Nuthyangana 14 from 14 balls; Deepti Sharma 3-6, Shafali Verma 2-3) by 147 runs.

(IANS)