Dubai: India lifted the Women’s Asia Cup trophy for a record-extending eighth time by defeating Sri Lanka in the 2026 Asia Cup final here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium by 72 runs on Sunday.
The Women in Blue starred across all departments to avenge their 2024 final loss to Sri Lanka, as they kept bossing the Lankan side in the Asia Cup finals. This was India’s sixth win against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup finals, including the ODI format and the 2004 tournament when India beat Sri Lanka 5-0 in the two-team tournament.
India posted a strong total of 183/5, with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana setting things up with a record 129-run stand for the opening wicket and scoring strong half-centuries. The Indian bowlers backed things pretty well as Shree Charani picked up four wickets, while Deepti Sharma also scalped two wickets to take the Women in Blue home.
Shafali and Mandhana laid the foundation for the win with their 129-run stand. Shafali smashed 68 from 39 balls and also hit the fastest half-century in the history of the tournament, when she raised her bat for the milestone off just 24 deliveries. Mandhana made a composed 59 from 39 balls, but Sri Lanka made a strong comeback in the latter half of the innings.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur struggled at No.3, falling for 14 before Richa Ghosh was also removed for 17, while G Kamalini, playing her first match of the tournament, made a five-ball 15 to give the Women in Blue a strong finish.
Sri Lanka were found wanting in their top-order performances, and it was not a big improvement over their previous outings, as Imesha Dulani was dismissed in the first over by Kranti Gaud.
India kept the lid on Sri Lanka batters as captain Chamari Athapaththu was not being let free to score. They were kept at 38/1 at the end of the powerplay.
Athapaththu showed her muscles when she saw leg-spinner Prema Rawat coming in for her first over in the ninth over. She hit her for a six and four as Sri Lanka dreamt with their captain around.
However, Deepti hit the body blow when she got Athapaththu stumped out in the 10th over and then doubled the blow when she bowled Vishmi Gunaratne in the same over.
The two wickets meant Sri Lanka were already staring down the barrel by the end of the 10th over. With 121 needed off 60 balls, India did not let the 2024 champions breathe easy as Shree Charani got Harshitha Samarawickrama for nine to become India’s leading T20I wicket-taker of the year.
She continued her good work and took three more wickets, with two coming in the 15th over as she removed Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshika Silva in the space of three balls.
Shafali also took a wicket, while Prema Rawat scalped one too before Deepti closed things out on the final ball of the match after cleaning up Kaushani Nuthyangana to bowl the 2024 winners for 111 and win by 72 runs.
Brief Scores: India 183/5 (Shafali Verma 68, Smriti Mandhana 59; Mithali Ayodhya 1-33) beat Sri Lanka 111/10 (Chamari Athapaththu 36, Nilakshika Silva 22; Shree Charani 4-20, Deepti Sharma 3-19) by 72 runs.
(IANS)
