India Women produced a commanding performance in the gold medal clash at the 2026 Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka Women by 147 runs to secure the gold medal in the women’s cricket competition.
India were asked to bat first and made the most of the opportunity, posting a formidable 216/3 in 20 overs. The Indian batters attacked throughout the innings, with Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh playing key roles in setting up the huge total.
Smriti Mandhana stars with the bat
Smriti Mandhana once again led India’s batting effort with a spectacular 79 off 45 balls. She struck five fours and seven sixes during an innings that put Sri Lanka’s bowlers under constant pressure.
Shafali Verma also made a significant contribution, scoring 48 from 29 deliveries, with three fours and three sixes.
After their departures, Harmanpreet Kaur scored 19 before Richa Ghosh took charge of the final stages. Ghosh remained unbeaten on 49 off only 22 balls, smashing six fours and three sixes. Her explosive finish helped India cross the 200-run mark.
Sri Lanka struggle in the chase
Sri Lanka needed 217 runs to win the gold medal but never managed to build momentum in their innings. The Indian bowling attack kept taking wickets at regular intervals, eventually dismissing Sri Lanka for 69 in 15.4 overs.
Chamari Athapaththu was Sri Lanka’s top scorer with 29 off 21 balls, while Kaushani Nuthyangana made 14. However, the rest of the batting order struggled against India’s disciplined bowling.
Deepti Sharma was the pick of the Indian bowlers, finishing with outstanding figures of 3/6 from four overs. Shafali Verma claimed two wickets for just three runs, while Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani also picked up two wickets apiece.
With Sri Lanka bowled out for 69, India completed a massive 147-run victory and were crowned gold medallists at the 2026 Asian Games.
