Indian women demolish Sri Lanka securing consecutive gold medals
Indian women cricketers secured their country's first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games by defeating Sri Lanka with a 147-run victory in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Securing consecutive gold medals highlights India's ongoing dominance in the continental T20 cricket landscape. This victory adds to India's total tally of seven medals at the current tournament, which includes four silvers and two bronzes.
Smriti Mandhana led the initial charge with an aggressive 79 runs from just 45 balls. She smashed five boundaries and seven sixes against the opposing bowlers. During this remarkable innings, she achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first female cricketer to cross 11,000 runs in international cricket. She built a strong foundation alongside opener Shafali Verma, who scored a rapid 48 off 29 deliveries before being dismissed by Chamudi Praboda. Together, they formed a 99-run opening partnership that set a commanding tone early in the match.
Richa Ghosh propelled the team further during the final overs. She remained unbeaten with a quickfire 49 off 22 balls, striking six boundaries and three sixes. Ghosh scored 17 runs in the final over alone against Mithali Ayodhya. This late surge helped India post a formidable 216/3. This score stands as the highest total ever recorded in Asian Games women's cricket history.
Spinners dismantle batting lineup
Sri Lanka struggled immediately during their demanding run chase of 217. Shafali Verma claimed the first breakthrough by removing Imesha Dulani for just three runs, stumped efficiently by Richa Ghosh. Captain Chamari Athapaththu offered brief resistance, scoring 29 off 21 balls, featuring five boundaries, before Deepti Sharma dismissed her with a catch taken by Bharti Fulmali.
Following their captain's departure, Sri Lanka suffered a swift batting collapse, losing wickets every over. Deepti Sharma delivered an exceptional spell, taking three wickets while conceding only six runs across her four overs. Shree Charani supported the attack perfectly, securing two wickets for 13 runs. Shreyanka Patil also impressed by grabbing the final wicket, finishing with figures of two for nine in under two overs. Sri Lanka ultimately folded for a mere 69 runs in 15.4 overs, securing the championship for India.
With Inputs from Agency Threads and Image Courtesy: ANI
