Asian Games, women's cricket: India beat SL to win gold
What's the story
The Indian women's cricket team has won a historic gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. The team, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, put on an all-round display to beat Sri Lanka by a whopping 147 runs in the final. This is India's second successive gold medal in women's cricket at the Asian Games, having previously won it in 2023.
Match highlights
India post a massive total
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India posted a massive total of 216/3 in their allotted 20 overs.
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave India a blistering start with their opening partnership.
Mandhana scored an impressive 79 runs off just 45 balls while Verma contributed with a quickfire 48 off just 29 balls.
Richa Ghosh also chipped in with an aggressive unbeaten knock of 49 runs off just 22 balls, helping India cross the 200-run mark and set Sri Lanka a daunting target of victory.
Bowling prowess
India's bowlers restrict Sri Lanka
India's bowlers were equally impressive as they decimated Sri Lanka's batting line-up.
The team kept taking wickets at regular intervals, eventually bowling out the opposition for a mere 69 runs in just 15.4 overs.
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu (29 off 21) was the only Sri Lankan to breach the 15-run mark.
This gave India a massive 147-run victory.
Mandhana
Mandhana becomes first woman to complete 11,000 international runs
Mandhana's 79 was laced with five fours and seven maximums.
Against Sri Lanka, the southpaw has now raced to 687 runs in 27 WT20I matches at an average of 28.62 and a strike rate of 124, as per Cricinfo (50s: 6).
During her stay, Mandhana also became the first-ever player to complete 11,000 runs (now 11,066) in women's international cricket.
Mandhana
Most runs in Women's T20Is
Mandhana recently became the highest run-scorer in Women's T20Is, having surpassed New Zealand legend Suzie Bates's tally of 4,758 runs.
The Indian has now raced to a tally of 4,867 runs from 179 WT20I matches (172 innings) at 31. She recorded her 37th fifty (100s: 2).
Mandhana's tally of 39 scores of 50 or more is the most for anyone in WT20Is.
Verma
Verma breaks this WT20I record of Laura Wolvaardt
Verma's blistering 48 had three fours and as many sixes.
With this knock, the 22-year-old has set a new world record for the most runs in a calendar year in Women's T20 Internationals (WT20Is).
Verma has been in phenomenal form this year, scoring a total of 863 runs in 24 T20Is at an average of 39.22 (50s: 7, 100: 1).
The Indian opener has now raced to 38 sixes this year (99 fours).
Information
Here are her WT20I stats
Overall, the former has raced to 3,325 runs from 119 WT20Is at an average of 30.22 (SR: 141). This includes 22 scores of 50 or more. 540 of her runs have come across 16 games against the Lankans at 38.57 (50s: 4).
Information
Richa misses out on a fifty
Richa smashed six fours and three sixes en route to her unbeaten 49. This cameo took her to 1,445 across 96 WT20Is at an average of 26.75 (SR: 144.93, 50s: 2). 177 of her runs have come against Sri Lanka at a SR of 168.57.
Deepti
Three-fer for Deepti
Deepti, the highest wicket-taker in WT20I history, was the pick of the Indian bowlers (3/6 in 4 overs).
With this effort, she has now amassed 189 scalps from 157 matches at an average of 18.17. Her economy rate is 6.21.
Versus Sri Lanka, the spinner has picked 27 wickets from 23 matches at 16.66.
37 of her wickets have come across 24 games this year at 14.78.
Bowlers
Two wickets each for the trio
Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, and Verma trapped two batters each.
Patil's 2/9 from 1.4 overs has taken her to 33 wickets from 27 WT20Is at 18.36.
Verma bowled two overs and finished with 2/3. She now owns 22 wickets in the format at 20.04.
Charani's 2/13 from four overs has taken her tally to 62 wickets from 33 matches at 12.56.
Feats
Historic win for India
As per Cricbuzz, India recorded their biggest WT20I win in terms of runs (147).
This is also Sri Lanka Women's biggest defeat by runs.
Eight straight T20I wins for India Women - their longest streak in the format, surpassing the seven-win run in 2018.
India have now won eight WT20Is against the Lankans on the bounce.