India’s women’s cricket team successfully defended their Asian Games title after defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final on Tuesday. The commanding victory at the Asian Games 2026 gave India their second successive gold medal in women’s cricket. Batting first, India posted a massive 216/3, their highest-ever total in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. Smriti Mandhana led the charge with a brilliant 79 off 45 balls, while Shafali Verma provided an aggressive start with 48 from 29 deliveries.
The opening pair put together a 99-run partnership, giving India the perfect platform to accelerate in the second half of the innings. Richa Ghosh then produced a stunning late assault, remaining unbeaten on 49 off just 22 balls to take India beyond the 200-run mark.
The performance also earned praise from legendary Indian batter Sachin Tendulkar, who highlighted the contribution of several players in India’s comprehensive victory.
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“That’s the beauty of a team game. Different players, different moments, one big result. Shafali and Smriti’s 99-run partnership at the top gave India the platform, Richa Ghosh’s late blitz took the total to a massive 216, and then Shafali, Deepti, Shreyanka and Shree Charani kept finding the wickets. A terrific effort from the Indian women’s team. Congratulations on the Gold!”
That’s the beauty of a team game. Different players, different moments, one big result.
Shafali and Smriti’s 99-run partnership at the top gave India the platform, Richa Ghosh’s late blitz took the total to a massive 216, and then Shafali, Deepti, Shreyanka and Shree Charani… https://t.co/mcAM6MOuhr
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 22, 2026
Mandhana’s innings was particularly significant as she became the first woman cricketer to complete 11,000 international runs. Her record-breaking milestone came during an innings that once again underlined her importance to India’s batting lineup.
Sri Lanka, however, never managed to build a response after losing early wickets. India’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure and dismissed the opposition for just 69 in 15.4 overs.
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Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler, finishing with impressive figures of 3/6. Shafali Verma, Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani also made valuable contributions with the ball, claiming two wickets each. With both the bat and ball firing, India completed a 147-run victory to secure the gold medal. The triumph not only extended their Asian Games dominance but also capped a memorable campaign featuring individual milestones and a strong all-round team performance.
