India crowned Asian champions again
ThePapareNews article
India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final of the 2026 Women's T20 Asia Cup to become Asian champions for the fourth time.
India won the toss and elected to bat first in the match played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on (13), scoring 183 for the loss of 5 wickets. In reply, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 111.
Both sides made one change each to the teams that played their previous matches. Sri Lanka brought in Vishmi Gunaratne for Sanjana Kavindi, while India included 18-year-old leg-spinner Gunalan Kamalini in place of Pratika Rawal.
Sri Lanka Women's team
Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Hasini Perera, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Sugandika Kumari, Mitali Ayodhya and Chamudi Prabodha.
India Women's team from the previous match
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma, Bharti Fulmali, Gunalan Kamalini, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma.
India's openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave their innings a strong start after being asked to bat first. The pair added 129 runs from 77 balls for the first wicket.
The partnership ended with the dismissal of Shafali Verma. She made 68 from 39 balls, with 9 fours and 2 sixes.
Just 3 more runs were added to the Indian innings following her dismissal before Smriti Mandhana was also dismissed. She was run out for 59 from 39 balls, with 5 fours and 3 sixes.
Richa Ghosh then scored 17 from 13 balls with a four and a six, Gunalan Kamalini made an unbeaten 15 from 5 balls with a four and a six, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 14 from 14 balls with a four.
Mitali Ayodhya, Sugandika Kumari and Chamudi Prabodha took one wicket apiece.
Captain Chamari Athapaththu top-scored in Sri Lanka's reply. She made 36 from 32 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. During the innings, she also added 58 runs from 53 balls for the 2nd wicket with Vishmi Gunaratne.
Vishmi Gunaratne scored 20 from 22 balls with 2 fours.
Nilakshika Silva also made 22 from 16 balls with a four, while the Indian bowlers did not allow any of the other batters to reach double figures.
Left-arm spinner Shree Charani recorded the best bowling figures of the innings, taking 4 wickets for 20 runs. She also became the leading wicket-taker for India in a calendar year. She has taken 39 wickets so far this year, surpassing Poonam Yadav's previous record of 35 wickets set in 2018.
In addition to Shree Charani, Deepti Sharma took 3 wickets for 19 runs, while Kranti Gaud, Prema Rawat and Shafali Verma claimed one wicket each.
Brief scores
- India Women – 183 for the loss of 5 wickets (20.0) Smriti Mandhana 59, Shafali Verma 68, Gunalan Kamalini not out 15
- Sri Lanka Women – all out 111 (20.0) Chamari Athapaththu 36, Vishmi Gunaratne 20, Nilakshika Silva 22, Shree Charani 4/20, Deepti Sharma 3/19
India Women won by 72 runs.
Player of the Match – Shafali Verma (India)
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Based on ThePapare reporting