Cricket
oi-Ashish Rana
The Indian women’s cricket team has won the first Gold medal for Asian Games 2026 by defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs. They didn’t just win the gold medal but also won the second consecutive gold medal after continued its dominance in Asian Games.
The Indian women’s cricket team clinched their second consecutive Asian Games 2026 gold medal, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs. India posted a record 216, with Smriti Mandhana scoring 79.
With this, India has opened its gold medal tally in the ongoing Asian Games 2026. Indian Women’s team put up a strong total of 216 runs in 20 overs against Sri Lanka.
India Post Record Total In Asian Games Final
Smriti Mandhana was top performer with his opening of 79 runs off 45 balls before Richa Ghosh (48 off 22) came and gave a brutal assault in death overs to make India reach 216 runs total. The total also became highest for Asian Games history.
Once India scaled that record total, the result was a foregone conclusion. All Sri Lankan hopes were pinned on skipper Chamari Athapaththu (29 off 21) but she alone could not take the fight to the Indians.
Sri Lanka capitulated to 69 all out in 15.4 overs as Indian spinners ran through the opposition. Shafali Verma (48 and 2/3) produced an all-round performance while Deepti Sharma (3/6) and Shree Charani (2) chipped in with wickets as usual in a final devoid of a contest.
India were overwhelming favourites for the title and they certainly lived up to expectations with three dominant wins over the course of the competition.
Just like the Asia Cup earlier this month, Sri Lanka were at the receiving end in the final, unable to compete with their familiar rivals.
Pakistan won the bronze with a comfortable 31-run win over Bangladesh earlier in the day.
Mandhana And Shafali Set The Tone
The side made the most of the powerplay after winning the toss with Mandhana (79 off 45) and Shafali (48 off 29) firing the team to 59 for no loss in six overs.
Both openers have been in sublime touch since the Asia Cup, contributing significantly to the team’s cause in the all-important final with a 99-run stand off 60 balls.
Sri Lanka were ordinary with the ball allowing the openers to dictate terms. Both Shafali and Mandhana were brutal against the spinners.
Mandhana smashed left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari for back-to-back sixes in the third over, one was a straight off the back-foot before she unleashed the slog sweep.
The next over from slinger Mithali Ayodhya was even more productive one as Mandhana hit her third six of the innings, a delightful one over extra cover.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu got herself to bowl the fifth over and ended up leaking 19 runs including three sixes.
Two of those came from the bat of Shafali who pulled a long hop over the ropes before depositing the next ball over mid off. Three balls later, Mandhana stepped out to smash the Sri Lankan skipper and off-spinner down the ground.
In all, Mandhana hammered seven sixes.
Sri Lanka Collapse Under Indian Pressure
On the cusp of another fifty, Shafali went for the reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Chamudi Praboda but mistimed it to be caught.
The number three has been an unsettled spot for India for a while. On this occasion, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (19 off 17) came to bat on the position to press home India’s advantage but her struggles since Asia Cup continued as she was holed out at long off in the 15th over.
Mandhana was on course a well-deserved hundred but was caught in the deep off Kumari while attempting another slog sweep.
Richa (49 not out off 22) then produced another invaluable knock in the death overs to push the team past 200. Her cameo included three sixes and seven fours.
Sri Lanka never recovered while chasing 217 and were bowled out for just 69 in 15.4 overs, handing India a massive 147-run victory and a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal.
