India secures eighth Asia Cup with dominant 72-run victory
Dominating from start to finish, India claimed their eighth Women's Asia Cup title by defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Dubai. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set up the victory with a spectacular 129-run opening partnership, driving their team to a formidable 183 for 5. Historically, Indian women have controlled this regional tournament, and this latest triumph extends their head-to-head dominance in finals over Sri Lanka to 6-1.
Record-breaking opening partnership
Shafali launched an immediate attack after captain Harmanpreet Kaur chose to bat first. She combined aggressive power with precise placement, punishing the spin bowlers and racing to a 24-ball fifty, marking the fastest half-century in the history of this tournament. Mandhana joined the charge soon after, bringing up her own fifty in 36 deliveries. Sri Lanka finally broke the stand in the 13th over when Shafali fell for 68, followed quickly by a run-out that dismissed Mandhana for 59. Despite these setbacks and late wickets, debutant G Kamalini hit a four and a six on the final two deliveries to push the total past 180.
Spinners dismantle Sri Lankan chase
Chasing 184 proved too difficult for the opposition right from the start. Fast bowlers Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma created early pressure, keeping boundaries to a strict minimum during the powerplay. Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu attempted to rebuild the innings and tried to accelerate the run rate. However, her effort ended when she was stumped by Richa Ghosh off Deepti Sharma for a top score of 36. This crucial dismissal left the chasing side needing a miracle.
Spin bowlers then took complete control of the match, suffocating the remaining batters. N Shree Charani delivered a brilliant spell, grabbing four wickets for just 20 runs. Her figures included a sharp return catch to quickly remove Harshitha Samarawickrama, a key player for the opposition. Deepti Sharma provided fantastic support on the other end, claiming three wickets for only 19 runs. Even though Indian fielders dropped five catches under the stadium lights, the disciplined bowling attack remained entirely ruthless. Sri Lanka ultimately collapsed, falling to 111 all out on the final ball of the innings, crowning India as undisputed champions once again.
Shafali and Smriti made a spectacular 129-run opening partnership
Image Courtesy: ANI/BCCI
