Sri Lanka’s women cricketers clinched the silver medal at the Asian Games 2026 after falling to defending champions India in the gold‑medal clash in Japan.
India, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, powered to a record 216 for 3 in 20 overs, riding on a blistering 79 off 45 balls from Smriti Mandhana and an unbeaten 49 from Richa Ghosh.
Openers Mandhana and Shafali Verma set the tone early, piling on 66 runs in the powerplay. Shafali, fresh from a century in the semi‑final, struck three sixes off Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu before falling just short of a half‑century.
Sri Lanka’s chase never gained momentum. Athapaththu top‑scored with 29, but wickets tumbled regularly as India’s bowlers dominated. Deepti Sharma was the standout with figures of 3 for 6, while Shafali Verma, Shree Charani, and Shreyanka Patil chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 69 in 15.4 overs, handing India a commanding 147‑run victory and the gold medal.
The bronze medal went to Pakistan, who defeated Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third‑place playoff.
Brief Scores: India Women 216/3 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 79, Richa Ghosh 49 not out; Chamudi Praboda 1/34) beat Sri Lanka Women 69/10 in 15.4 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 29; Deepti Sharma 3/6) by 147 runs. (Newswire)
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