India women win first Asian Games 2026 gold in cricket, beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 22, 2026: The Indian women’s cricket team has won the country’s first gold medal of the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Japan after they thrashed Sri Lanka in the final held on Tuesday. After posting a mammoth 216/3 at the Korogi Sports Park, the defending champions bowled out Sri Lanka for 69 runs in 15.4 overs to win by 147 runs.

This is India’s second straight gold at the event having also won the event beating Sri Lanka at the 2022 Asiad in Hangzhou (China).

Sri Lanka batters looked clueless against Indian bowlers after a promising start turned into a collapse. The openers added 18 runs in 10 deliveries before Shafali Verma landed the first blow with the dismissal of Imesha Dulani on 3.

Sri Lanka though lost only two wickets inside the Powerplay. However, after the fielding restrictions were lifted, barring captain Chamari Athapaththu (29), no other batter managed to make any impact as Indian bowlers kept hitting regularly.

This was after, a regal Smriti Mandhana struck 79 off 45 before Richa Ghosh came up with a brutal assault in the death overs to fire India to a 200-plus total. India made the most of the powerplay after winning the toss with Mandhana (79 off 45) and Shafali Verma (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 standoff 60 balls.

Sri Lanka, who need something special to upstage India, were ordinary with the ball allowing the openers to dictate terms. India ended up with the highest total in Games’ history.

Both Shafali and Mandhana were brutal against the spinners. Mandhana smashed left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumarai for back-to-back sixes in the third over, one was a straight off the backfoot before she unleashed the slog sweep.

The next over from slinger Mithali Ayodha was even more productive 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.

On the cusp of another fifty, Shafali went for the reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Chamudi Praoboda but mistimed it to be caught.

The number three has been unsettled spot for India for a while. On this occasion skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (19 off 17) came to bat at three 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.