Indian Women's Cricket Team Clinches Gold at Asian Games 2026

Historic Victory for Indian Women’s Cricket

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 22: Indranil Khan, the Sports Minister of West Bengal, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Indian women's cricket team for their remarkable achievement of winning the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games. He commended the players for their outstanding performance that has brought pride to the nation.

The Indian women's team showcased their dominance at the continental level, securing their second consecutive gold medal at the Asian Games. They achieved this feat with a spectacular 147-run victory over Sri Lanka, thanks to impressive performances from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, as well as a strong bowling display.

Chasing India's formidable total of 216/3, 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 silver and two bronze medals, bringing the total to seven medals so far.

In a statement, Indranil Khan expressed his pride in the Indian women's cricket team, highlighting how their success serves as an inspiration for the youth. He stated, 'A huge congratulations to our women power. 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 proud of them. This achievement allows the new generation to witness the prowess of the Indian women's team.'

Khan also emphasized West Bengal's commitment to promoting women's cricket, praising the contributions of Bengal players, especially Richa Ghosh, in the gold-medal match. He noted that the team's success has sparked increased interest in women's cricket, and they are eager to honor the players for their achievements.

'We are actively promoting women's cricket in West Bengal. It is truly inspiring. Our Bengal cricketers performed exceptionally well today. Richa Ghosh, our Siliguri star, played brilliantly, contributing to India's impressive score. We are all now closely following women's cricket, and we owe a great deal to our women for bringing glory to India. We look forward to celebrating their success,' he added.

In the match, India set a challenging target of 216/3 after being invited to bat first. Smriti Mandhana was the standout performer, scoring 79 runs off 45 balls, while Shafali Verma contributed a quick 48 off 29 balls. Richa Ghosh added a crucial unbeaten 49 runs from just 22 balls.

Mandhana's innings featured five fours and seven sixes, marking her 37th half-century in T20 internationals. She also made history by becoming the first female cricketer to surpass 11,000 runs in international cricket.

India's bowlers then dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order, restricting them to 69 runs. Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler with figures of 3/6, 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.