India’s women’s cricket team retained the Asian Games T20 gold medal in emphatic fashion, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Tuesday. The victory also gave India their first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side produced a dominant all-round performance to complete an unbeaten campaign and successfully defend the title they won at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. India’s winning margin was also their biggest in women’s T20I cricket, surpassing their previous record of a 144-run victory against Malaysia in 2018.
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After winning the toss, India elected to bat and made the most of the opportunity. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put Sri Lanka’s bowling attack under immediate pressure, adding 99 runs for the opening wicket.
The partnership also saw Mandhana and Shafali become the first pair to cross 4,000 runs together in T20Is. Shafali was dismissed for 48 after an aggressive start, but Mandhana continued to dominate.
Mandhana struck her 37th T20I half-century and also crossed the 11,000-run mark in the format. Her 79 came from just 47 deliveries and included five fours and seven sixes, providing India with the platform for a huge total.
Richa Ghosh then took charge after being promoted to No. 4. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed 49 off only 22 balls to accelerate India’s scoring in the final stages. India eventually finished on 216/3, registering the highest women’s T20I total recorded at the Asian Games across four editions.
Sri Lanka’s chase never gathered momentum. Shafali, who had already made an impact with the bat, struck twice during the Powerplay to put the opposition under immediate pressure.
India’s spinners then tightened the grip. Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani joined the attack and helped reduce Sri Lanka to 49/6 inside 10 overs. The remaining batters struggled to build a partnership, with the innings ending at just 67.
The 147-run victory completed India’s perfect campaign at the Asian Games. The team had earlier defeated Thailand, Hong Kong and Pakistan in the group stage before overcoming Bangladesh in the semi-final.
India’s campaign had begun with a comprehensive victory over hosts Japan. After bowling Japan out for 57 in 19.5 overs, India completed the chase in just five overs, with Shafali producing another explosive performance.
Shafali had also made headlines in the semi-final against Bangladesh by scoring her maiden international century. During that innings, she surpassed Mandhana to become India’s leading six-hitter in women’s T20Is.
India’s latest triumph also places them alongside Pakistan as the only teams to successfully defend the women’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games. Cricket made its Asian Games debut in 2010 and has featured in every edition since, except the 2018 Games.
The Indian men’s cricket team will now look to defend its own Asian Games gold. The men’s side has secured a direct quarter-final berth and will begin its campaign on September 28.
For Harmanpreet and her team, the focus will now shift back to bilateral cricket. India are scheduled to host Zimbabwe in a white-ball series in October, followed by a home series against South Africa in December and the inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February next year.
