Indian Women's Cricket Team Clinches Gold at Asian Games 2026
Celebrating a Historic Victory
On Tuesday, Indranil Khan, the Sports Minister of West Bengal, extended his congratulations to the Indian women's cricket team for their remarkable achievement of winning the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. He commended the players for their outstanding performance, which has brought pride to the nation. The Indian women's team showcased their exceptional skills, securing their second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games. They achieved a stunning 147-run victory over Sri Lanka, with standout performances from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. India set a challenging target of 216 runs, while Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 69 runs in 15.4 overs. This victory marks India's first gold medal in this edition of the Asian Games, adding to their tally of four silvers and two bronzes.
Inspiring Future Generations
In a statement, Khan expressed that the success of the Indian women's cricket team would serve as an inspiration for the younger generation. He stated, "A huge congratulations to our women power, to our girls. The way our Indian women brought home the gold at the Asian Games and gave the country its first gold medal in the 2026 Asian Games is commendable. We are grateful and congratulate them. It is a privilege for our new generation to witness the Indian women's team in action."
West Bengal's Role in Women's Cricket
Khan highlighted West Bengal's commitment to promoting women's cricket, praising the contributions of local players, especially Richa Ghosh, in the gold-medal match. He noted that the team's success has sparked increased interest in women's cricket within the state. "We are also promoting women's cricket in West Bengal. It is very inspiring, and congratulations are in order. Our Bengal cricketers performed exceptionally well today. Richa Ghosh, in particular, played brilliantly, contributing to India's impressive score. We are all now paying attention to women's cricket, and we are eager to honor these talented athletes," he remarked.
Match Highlights
In the final match, India set a formidable score of 216/3 after being invited to bat first. Smriti Mandhana was the top scorer with an impressive 79 runs off 45 balls, while Shafali Verma contributed a quick 48 runs off 29 balls. Richa Ghosh added a crucial unbeaten 49 runs off just 22 balls. Mandhana's innings included five fours and seven sixes, marking her 37th half-century in T20 internationals and making her the first woman cricketer to surpass 11,000 runs in international cricket.
India's bowlers then dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, bowling them out for 69 runs in 15.4 overs. Deepti Sharma led the bowling attack with remarkable figures of 3 wickets for just 6 runs, while Shafali Verma and Shreyanka Patil each took two wickets. Shree Charani also contributed with two wickets. This 147-run victory secured India's second consecutive gold medal in women's cricket at the Asian Games, following their triumph in Hangzhou in 2023.