Indian Women's Team Clinches Second Consecutive Asian Games Gold with Dominant Victory

India Secures Gold at Asian Games 2026

In a remarkable display of skill, the Indian women's cricket team triumphed at the Asian Games, claiming their second consecutive gold medal. The victory came after an impressive performance from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, leading to a commanding 147-run win over Sri Lanka in the final held on Tuesday.

This achievement marks India's first gold medal in this edition of the Asian Games, adding to their tally of four silvers and two bronzes, bringing their total medal count to seven.

Chasing a target of 217 runs, Sri Lanka struggled significantly, collapsing to just 69 runs in 15.4 overs against India's formidable bowling attack.

Sri Lanka's innings began poorly, with Dulani falling to Shafali Verma, stumped by Richa Ghosh for a mere three runs, leaving them at 18/1.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu showed some resistance, hitting a couple of boundaries, but her innings ended at 29 runs off 21 balls, caught by Bharti Fulmali off Deepti Sharma's bowling.

The Indian spinners wreaked havoc, with Deepti Sharma claiming three wickets for just six runs, while Shreyanka Patil and Shafali Verma also contributed with two wickets each.

Earlier, India set a daunting target of 216 runs, thanks to Smriti Mandhana's explosive 79 runs and a late surge from Richa Ghosh, who scored 49 runs off just 22 balls.

Mandhana's innings included five fours and seven sixes, and she became the first woman to surpass 11,000 runs in international cricket. The Indian team maintained a brisk pace throughout their innings, with significant contributions from Shafali Verma, who scored 48 runs.

In the final overs, Richa Ghosh's aggressive batting helped India post the highest total in women's cricket at the Asian Games, solidifying their dominance in the tournament.