Sri Lanka clinched their first-ever Women’s Asia Cup title with an impressive eight-wicket victory over India at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on Sunday.
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India set a challenging total of 165 for 6. Smriti Mandhana led the way with a stellar 60 off 47 balls, including ten boundaries, anchoring India’s innings. Despite a strong start, with India reaching 44 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, the Sri Lankan bowlers, particularly Kavisha Dilhari (2/36), tightened their grip and limited India’s scoring. Richa Ghosh provided a late surge with a rapid 30 off 14 balls, helping India surpass the 150-run mark.
In response, Sri Lanka’s chase was anchored by a brilliant innings from Chamari Athapaththu and a resilient knock from Harshitha Samarawickrama. Athapaththu’s aggressive 61 off 44 balls set the tone, but it was Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 69 off 50 balls that turned the tide. She hit two sixes and six fours, delivering a commanding performance to steer her team towards victory. Dilhari’s quickfire 30 off 16 balls added the finishing touch, as Sri Lanka reached the target with an over to spare, amidst celebrations from a jubilant Dambulla crowd.
Read More: Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan to secure their place in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup
Match Summary:
- India: 165 for 6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 60, Richa Ghosh 30; Kavisha Dilhari 2/36)
- Sri Lanka: 166 for 2 in 19 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 69*, Chamari Athapaththu 61; Renuka Thakur Singh 1/30)
India Playing XI:
- Smriti Mandhana
- Shefali Verma
- Uma Chetry
- Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Richa Ghosh (w)
- Deepti Sharma
- Pooja Vastrakar
- Radha Yadav
- Tanuja Kanwar
- Renuka Thakur Singh
Sri Lanka Playing XI:
- Vishmi Gunaratne
- Chamari Athapaththu (c)
- Harshitha Samarawickrama
- Kavisha Dilhari
- Nilakshi de Silva
- Anushka Sanjeewani (w)
- Hasini Perera
- Sugandika Kumari
- Inoshi Priyadharshani
- Udeshika Prabodhani
- Sachini Nisansala
This victory marks a historic achievement for Sri Lanka, securing their first Women’s Asia Cup title and demonstrating their growing strength in women’s cricket.
