Women’s Asia Cup: India eye 8th title against Sri Lanka in final

Dubai: India will look to secure a record-extending eighth Women’s T20 Asia Cup title when they take on unbeaten Sri Lanka in the final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Both teams have remained unbeaten in the tournament, setting up a closely contested title clash.

India’s campaign has been led by the consistent performances of Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma. Shafali has scored 168 runs, the highest tally in the tournament, including two half-centuries. Her ability to deliver in challenging batting conditions has been particularly valuable for India at the top of the order.

Smriti Mandhana has contributed 154 runs, including a century, but two low scores have highlighted the need for greater consistency from India’s batting unit in the final. The middle order has often made promising starts without converting them into substantial scores, while the team’s boundary-hitting has also lacked consistency.

Deepti has been equally influential with the ball, providing control and crucial breakthroughs. Her 11 wickets make her the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament alongside Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu. She has also made useful contributions with the bat, scoring 13 off six deliveries in the semifinal against Bangladesh to help India finish strongly.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will draw confidence from their impressive fightback against Pakistan in the semifinal. Chasing 131, they were reduced to 33 for four and appeared to be in serious trouble. However, Harshitha Samarawickrama’s 36 and Kavisha Dilhari’s 33 steadied the innings before Nilakshika Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana completed the chase.

That resilience could prove crucial against India, particularly given Sri Lanka’s recent record in this fixture. Athapaththu and Harshitha played key roles in the 2024 final, when Sri Lanka defeated India by eight wickets after both batters scored half-centuries.

India will also need to improve their fielding. They have dropped nine catches in four matches so far, including two against Thailand, three against Pakistan and four in the semifinal against Bangladesh.

Against a Sri Lankan side that has repeatedly shown its ability to recover from difficult situations, further lapses in the field could prove costly.

The final will therefore see India’s tournament-leading batting and spin attack come up against a Sri Lankan side whose biggest strength has been their ability to withstand pressure and fight back from difficult positions.

The final will be played on Sunday, September 13, at 8:00 p.m. IST at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai. The match will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network, while live streaming will be available on the Sony LIV app and website.

Squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Gunalan Kamalini (wk), Pratika Rawal, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama (vc), Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Sanjana Kavindi, Hasini Perera, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Mithali Ayodhya, Kawya Kavindi, Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Meepage, Chamudi Praboda, Chethana Vimukhti

With IANS inputs