Mandhana 'show' in Nisshin; India humble Sri Lanka to win second Asiad gold in women's cricket

NISSHIN: The Indian women's team ensured the country’s first gold in the 2026 Asian Games after an emphatic win over Sri Lanka in the women’s cricket final on Tuesday. Smriti Mandhana's resilient 79 and Shafali Verma's all-round performance helped the team retain the gold they won three years ago in Hangzhou.

Unlike the final held three years ago, India had the game under control from the very start, and it was not a repeat of a nail-biting finish like in 2023. Smriti and Shafali powered India to 216, and chasing this total required something extraordinary from Sri Lanka, but they faltered. The game also saw Mandhana surpass 11,000 international runs, thus becoming the first woman cricketer to reach the landmark.

Sri Lanka’s batting lineup crashed during the chase, and it was only captain Athapaththu who showed some signs of putting a fight. Eventually, the Lankans were bowled out for just 69 runs, giving India a 147-run victory and their second gold at the Asian Games in a row.