India extended their dominance in Asian cricket by claiming a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup title after a commanding 72-run win over Sri Lanka in the final held in Dubai. The victory marked the culmination of an unbeaten campaign for the Indian side, further solidifying their supremacy in the tournament’s history.
Batting first, India set a formidable target of 183/5, a total that proved insurmountable for the Sri Lankan lineup, which was eventually bundled out for 111. Historically, India has maintained a clear advantage over their rivals, now holding 26 wins in 32 head-to-head encounters, while Sri Lanka has secured victory just five times with one match resulting in a draw.
The match was defined by a blistering opening partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. After a steady start, the duo shifted gears, reaching 35 runs without loss within four overs. Shafali was particularly aggressive, plundering 20 runs in the fifth over alone, which included two sixes and a boundary. By the end of the powerplay, India had reached 57/0.
Shafali reached her 36th career half-century in just 24 balls, setting a new record for the fastest fifty in the history of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup. She eclipsed the previous record, held by Smriti Mandhana, who achieved a 25-ball fifty against the same opponent during the 2022 final. With this performance, Indian players now hold the top five fastest fifty records in the format, with three of those being credited to Shafali.
Sri Lanka’s pursuit of the 184-run target faltered early when opener Imesha Dulani was bowled by Kranti Gaud with only four runs on the board. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne attempted to stabilize the innings, sharing a 58-run partnership. Chamari played a leading role with a 32-ball 36, featuring four boundaries and two sixes, before Deepti Sharma broke the stand.
The dismissal of Chamari, who was stumped by an agile Richa Ghosh after being lured out of her crease, triggered a collapse. Three balls later, Deepti removed Vishmi, exposing the Sri Lankan middle order. Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshika Silva attempted a minor recovery with a 23-run stand, but they could not maintain the required momentum against the clinical Indian attack.
Deepti Sharma finished the match with a stellar four-wicket haul. Her performance was complemented by her teammates, who consistently tightened the screws to ensure the Lankan batting order crumbled under pressure. As no batter was able to offer sustained resistance, the match concluded swiftly in India’s favor, cementing their status as the continent’s most successful team. The report also notes that mohammad Abdullah covers major sports event like FIFA WC, Cricket WC and Formula One. The report also notes that both the batters knuckled down to rebuild the innings. The report also notes that they shared a 58-run stand for the second wicket to keep the chase alive. The report also notes that a very agile Richa Ghosh collected the ball and took the bails off with the speed of lightning. The report also notes that after that Lanka kept on losing the wickets at regular intervals. The report also notes that charani caught Harshitha off her own bowling before getting Nilakshika and Kavisha Dilhari caught by Kamalini and Nidhi respectively to leave Lanka in tatters. The report also notes that she picked Sugandika Kumari for her fourth scalp. The report also notes that earlier, at the half-way mark, the scoreboard read 98/0 after ten overs.
