Brief Scores: India (183/5) beat Sri Lanka (111 all-out in 20 ovs) by 72 runs to win Women’s Asia Cup. (Shafali Verma 68, Smriti Mandhana 59; Shree Charani 4/20)
India showed exactly why they were meant to be the continental champions, producing a ruthless all-round performance to crush defending champions Sri Lanka by 72 runs and claim a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
For a side that had already established itself as the most successful team in the tournament’s history, this was another statement performance. India attacked the final with the bat, strangled Sri Lanka with spin and never allowed the defending champions a realistic opening to fight their way back into the contest.
IND vs SL, Women’s Asia Cup Final: Highlights | Scorecard
OPENING FIREWORKS
The platform for India’s dominance was built by Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, who produced a breathtaking opening partnership of 129 runs in just 12.5 overs.
Shafali was in no mood to ease into the final. The 22-year-old immediately went after Athapaththu, smashing the Sri Lankan captain for a six, another six and a four in her first over. Her powerful pulling and driving set the tone as India raced to 57 without loss in the Powerplay.
Shafali brought up her fifty from just 24 balls, the fastest half-century in the tournament. Mandhana initially played second fiddle, but once her younger partner reached the landmark, the vice-captain shifted through the gears herself.
Mandhana brought elegance to complement Shafali’s aggression. She swept Nilakshi Silva for six, launched Chamudi Praboda over long-on and produced a trademark inside-out cover drive against Athapaththu.
India reached 98 without loss at the halfway stage, and by then the final had already begun to tilt heavily in their favour.
SRI LANKA PULL IT BACK
The opening stand eventually ended when Shafali slapped Praboda straight to Athapaththu, departing for a superb 68. Mandhana soon followed for 59, falling victim to another run-out after a mix-up with Harmanpreet Kaur.
Those two wickets gave Sri Lanka a brief opening. India were 140 for two after 15 overs, but the Lankans managed to rein in the scoring towards the end of the innings.
The final five overs produced only 43 runs, with Richa Ghosh falling for 17 just as she appeared ready to accelerate. Slinger Mithali Ayodya and the Sri Lankan bowlers deserve credit for finding better lines during the closing stages.
India, however, had already done the bulk of their work. A late cameo from Gunalan Kamalini, who smashed 15 from just five balls, helped them finish on 183 for five.
DEEPTI BREAKS RESISTANCE
Sri Lanka needed a strong start to keep the chase alive, and for a while Athapaththu provided exactly that.
The captain was their main hope, putting together a 58-run second-wicket partnership with Vishmi Gunaratne. But India’s experienced spin attack had other plans.
Deepti Sharma delivered the first major blow in the 10th over. Athapaththu tried to charge the off-spinner, was beaten in flight and was comfortably stumped by Richa Ghosh.
Three balls later, Gunaratne attempted a sweep but was bowled around her legs.
Suddenly, Sri Lanka were 63 for three after 10 overs, with the required rate climbing beyond 12 an over. Their path to the title had effectively disappeared.
CHARANI FINISHES THE JOB
With Sri Lanka under pressure, Shree Charani took centre stage.
The left-arm spinner produced the decisive spell of the final, finishing with four wickets for 20 runs. She was relentless as India squeezed the defending champions further and further into a corner.
Deepti, meanwhile, added two wickets to her tally as Sri Lanka’s lower order struggled to cope with the pressure and the rising asking rate.
The defending champions eventually folded for 111 in 20 overs. Even five dropped catches from India could not give Sri Lanka the momentum they needed.
A COMPLETE PERFORMANCE
The final was ultimately a story of India controlling every crucial phase.
Shafali and Mandhana provided the explosive beginning. The middle order absorbed Sri Lanka’s fightback and still pushed India to a formidable total. Then Charani and Deepti led a spin attack that made sure there would be no dramatic comeback.
Sri Lanka had arrived as defending champions, but India ensured the final was never allowed to become a repeat of their previous encounter.
The reward was a 72-run victory, another dominant performance on the biggest stage and, most importantly, a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
India are once again champions of Asia. And on a night when their batters provided the fireworks and their spinners supplied the choke, they looked every bit the part.
– Ends
