Dubai: India Women sealed a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title with a 72-run win over Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final, capping a campaign in which they won every match.
Put in to bat, India posted 183/5. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma put on 129 — the highest stand for any wicket in Women’s Asia Cup history and the highest partnership in a women’s T20I final. Shafali made 68 off 39 (nine fours, two sixes), reaching fifty in 24 balls, the fastest in the tournament’s history. Mandhana scored 59 off 39 (five fours, three sixes). Harmanpreet Kaur (14) and Richa Ghosh (17) could not build on that start; Bharti Fulmali’s unbeaten 15 off five balls lifted the total.
Sri Lanka’s chase of 184 never settled. Kranti Gaud removed Imesha Dulani in the first over. Chamari Athapaththu (36 off 32) and Vishmi Gunaratne pushed the score to 38/1 after the powerplay, but Sree Charani (4/20) and Deepti Sharma (3/19) took the middle overs. Athapaththu and Gunaratne fell in the same Deepti over; Sri Lanka were 63/3 after 10. Charani later dismissed Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshika Silva, then Sugandika Kumari. Prema Rawat and Deepti finished the innings as Sri Lanka were bowled out.
Shafali finished the tournament as leading run-scorer with 236 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 171.01. She and Mandhana now have six century stands in women’s T20Is.
“We set some really high standards for us, and we had to match them every day,” Harmanpreet said. Head coach Amol Muzumdar pointed to the openers and India’s three-spinner plan on a slow, turning Dubai pitch.
President Droupadi Murmu and BCCI Women congratulated the side on a flawless title defence.