Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma Shine in Asia Cup Victory

In a thrilling Asia Cup final, India's opening pair Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma delivered exceptional performances, leading the team to a decisive victory over Sri Lanka. With a record-breaking partnership and standout individual scores, they reflected on their journey and the importance of this win for their confidence. This article delves into their insights and the match highlights, showcasing India's dominance in women's cricket.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 14, 2026, 23:56 IST

India's Stellar Performance in the Asia Cup Final

Dubai [UAE], September 14: The Indian women's cricket team, led by the dynamic opening duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, celebrated a significant victory against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final held on Sunday. Both players shared their insights on India's recent T20 performances, with Smriti describing the championship win as a "great confidence booster."

Shafali, who emerged as the tournament's top scorer, discussed her evolving strategy for finals over the years.

The pair set a remarkable record with a 129-run partnership for the opening wicket, marking the highest stand in women's Asia Cup history and the best in any T20I final. Their efforts propelled India to a total of 183/5, while Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 111.

In a video shared by the BCCI post-match, Smriti reflected on India's T20 performances since 2024, acknowledging that they have faced challenges.

While the team celebrated a historic win in the ODI format with the ICC Women’s World Cup victory last year, they have struggled in T20Is, finishing in the group stages of both the 2024 and 2026 ICC T20 World Cups and being runners-up in the previous T20I Women’s Asia Cup against Sri Lanka, where they failed to defend a score of 166 runs.

"The 2024 Asia Cup final was quite disappointing. We scored 160 but couldn't defend it. However, it felt rewarding to face the same team in the finals after two years. Our performance in T20 tournaments hasn't been stellar, so this win serves as a good confidence booster. We need to keep pushing forward," Smriti stated.

She also praised Shafali for her impressive innings of 68 runs off 39 balls, which included nine fours and two sixes, commending her ability to find gaps in the field.

Shafali finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament, amassing 236 runs across five matches at an average of 47.20 and a strike rate of 171.01, including three fifties and a top score of 68. Notably, she achieved the fastest fifty in women's Asia Cup history in just 24 balls.

"Today’s innings was mature. I started well and focused on finding gaps. Openers often face criticism, but it’s best to respond with performance, and I’m glad we did that in the finals. I used to feel overwhelmed by finals, but now I keep it simple, focusing on the basics and reacting to the ball. My cricket has improved as I’ve learned quickly," she remarked.

India showcased a comprehensive performance to secure the continental title, scoring 183/5 and bowling Sri Lanka out for 111 in 20 overs, with Sree Charani taking four wickets for 20 runs. The batting was spearheaded by Shafali Verma (68 runs) and Smriti Mandhana (59 runs), who together formed a record 129-run opening partnership.