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India Women's Cricket Team Retains Asian Games Gold
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In Short: India's women's cricket team retained the gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final held at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Tuesday.
India's women's cricket team retained the gold medal at the Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final held at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Tuesday. The victory marks India's highest-ever margin in women's T20Is, surpassing a previous record of 144 runs over Malaysia in 2018.
India's flawless performance in the tournament, which began with a match against hosts Japan, opened their gold medal count at the ongoing Games. The team's success in the final was a repeat of their 2023 victory over the same opponents in the Hangzhou Games.
Winning the toss, India chose to bat first and put on a record-breaking display led by openers Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh. Their partnership denied Sri Lanka any early inroads, with Shafali and Mandhana becoming the first pair to reach 4000 runs in T20Is.
Shafali Verma scored 48 runs before being dismissed, while Mandhana notched up her 37th T20I half-century, also completing 11,000 runs in the process. Mandhana's aggressive play contributed to India's highest WT0I total at the Asiad, finishing on 216 for three.
The final score saw Sri Lanka fall short of the target by 147 runs, finishing at 67. This decisive victory solidifies India's position as one of the top teams in women's cricket, alongside Pakistan, who previously defended the gold medal in 2010 and 2014.
What this adds
India's victory in the Asian Games final adds to their recent success in the Women's Asia Cup 2026, where they also triumphed over Sri Lanka. However, the specific details of the Asian Games match differ from previous tournaments, showcasing a new high in their performance.
Background
India Women secured the Women's Asia Cup 2026 title with a commanding 72-run victory over Sri Lanka Women.
What's still developing
- Click here to read our Asian Games full coverage India began their Asian Games campaign last week against hosts Japan in a one-sided affair.
- The hard-hitting right-hander whipped up a blistering 49 off only 22 deliveries as India finished on 216 for three, the highest WT0I total at the Asiad across four editions.
- The Lankan chase never took off with part-timer Shafali breaking the top-order with two wickets within the Powerplay.
- The spin probe grew sterner as Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani too chipped in, reducing Sri Lanka to 49 for six within 10 overs.
- It only took 34 more deliveries to close Sri Lanka’s sluggish chase, falling staggeringly short of the target at 67.