Asian Games Cricket: Indian women down Lanka in final, defend gold

Nisshin: India women defended their gold medal after thrashing Sri Lanka in the final of the cricket event at the Korogi Sports Park here on Tuesday, IANS reported.

The Women in Blue starred in both departments, with Smriti Mandhana's 79 leading them to a record 216/3 in the final, while Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Shreyanka Patil and Sree Charani shared nine wickets to power India to a huge 147-run victory.

This is India's first gold medal at the ongoing Asiad and the seventh medal overall. The Women in Blue had won the gold in the previous edition of the Games too and have now defended their title against the same team.

India scored the highest total in the history of the Women's Asian Games and the highest score in a Women's T20 final, delivering a record-breaking performance in the gold-medal clash.

Mandhana was in top form as she made 79 from just 45 balls with seven sixes and five fours in a knock that saw her become the first player in women's cricket to complete 11,000 runs in international cricket. Shafali had another strong outing after her maiden white-ball hundred in the semifinal against Bangladesh as she made 48 from 29 deliveries, laced with three fours and as many sixes.

Richa provided the final push. She scored a brilliant unbeaten 49 from 22 deliveries, while Bharti Fulmali also made a run-a-ball seven to take India to a record 216/3 in the gold medal clash.

The Women in Blue broke the record for the highest Asian Games score, previously held by Hong Kong women, who had made 202/4 against the Mongolian women in the 2023 Hangzhou Games. This is also the highest score in women's T20 finals, surpassing the previous 210 set by Brazil women in a quadrangular series final against Spain in July this year.

The bowlers did a stellar job, too. Deepti was the pick of the bowlers with her three wickets, while Shafali, Deepti and Charani also picked two wickets each to bowl Sri Lanka out for just 69.

Shafali started the damage when she got the wickets of Imesha Dulani and Hasini Perera before Deepti joined the party. The Indian all-rounder once again removed Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu for 29, caught at long-off to nearly kill Sri Lanka's chances of a chase.

The Sri Lankan side was never in the chase, as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals as they went all guns blazing at the improbable target. Deepti scalped two more, while No. 1-ranked T20I bowler Charani also got two.

India finished the things when Shreyanka cleaned up the final Sri Lankan player, Kaushani Nuthyangana, for 14 to wrap up a huge win.