Despite posting a modest total of 116 runs, India displayed a clinical performance to successfully defend their score and comfortably secure the gold.
This triumph comes as a redemption for the Women in Blue, following their heartbreak in last year’s Commonwealth Games and the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia. India’s victory makes them only the second team, after Pakistan, to win a gold medal in cricket at the Asian Games, with Pakistan achieving this feat twice in 2010 and 2014.
Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues were the standout performers with the bat, contributing 46 and 42 runs, respectively, after India chose to bat first on a challenging pitch. However, the remaining five batters struggled, with Deepti Sharma remaining unbeaten at 1, resulting in India reaching a total of 116 runs.
In response, Titas Sadhu dismantled Sri Lanka’s top-order, dismissing the top three batsmen cheaply. Although Hasini Perera and Nilakshi de Silva tried to stabilize the innings with a 36-run partnership, India regained control by dismissing Perera. Sri Lanka found it difficult to score boundaries in the last 5 overs and concluded their innings at 97-8 in 20 overs.
Titas Sadhu’s exceptional performance, with figures of 4-1-6-3, played a pivotal role in India’s victory, and the Indian players proudly adorned their gold medals around their necks. This marks India’s second gold at the Asian Games, following the earlier success of the shooting trio.
