India Women eye cricket gold as Sri Lanka threat looms in Asian Games finale
India Women are one win away from defending their Asian Games cricket gold, but standing between them and another title is a familiar opponent. Sri Lanka await in Tuesday’s women’s final, setting up another high-profile clash between two teams that have regularly met with major trophies on the line.
India have been clinical in their Asian Games campaign so far, brushing aside Japan before producing an even more emphatic performance against Bangladesh in the semi-final. Sri Lanka have also remained unbeaten, overcoming Malaysia in their opener before chasing down Pakistan’s 177 in a high-scoring semi-final. Both sides have carried strong momentum into the title clash, but the final will present the toughest test of their campaigns.
The latest meeting adds another chapter to an increasingly familiar rivalry. Over the last three years, India and Sri Lanka have faced each other three times in tournament finals across the Asian Games and the Women’s Asia Cup. Now, the two sides meet again, with Asian Games gold at stake.SHAFALI, CHARANI SET THE TONE FOR INDIA Shafali Verma scored her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh. Courtesy: BCCI Women
India began their gold-medal defence with an eight-wicket win over hosts Japan. Their bowlers dismissed Japan for just 57, with left-arm spinner Shree Charani returning impressive figures of 4/10. Shafali Verma then finished the chase in explosive fashion, smashing an unbeaten 40 off just 15 balls. She also chipped in with 2/13.
The semi-final against Bangladesh was even more emphatic. Shafali became the first cricketer to score a century in Asian Games history, hitting an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls, including nine sixes and three fours. Smriti Mandhana made 37 off 19 balls and Harmanpreet Kaur scored 40 off 33 as India posted 195/4.
Bangladesh were then bowled out for 81, giving India a 114-run victory. Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma claimed three wickets each, while Charani continued to underline her importance to India's attack.
Shafali leads India's run-scoring charts with 140 runs from two innings, while Charani has taken six wickets. Deepti has also claimed four wickets and provides India with an experienced spin option heading into the final.SRI LANKA FIND THEIR SPARK THROUGH THEIR CAPTAIN Chamari Athapaththu will be key for Sri Lanka in the final. Courtesy: ACC
Sri Lanka opened their campaign with an 86-run victory over Malaysia. Captain Chamari Athapaththu led from the front with 63 off 37 balls, while Kavisha Dilhari struck an unbeaten 44 as Sri Lanka posted 160/4. Malaysia were restricted to 74/7, with Athapaththu, Dilhari and Mithali Ayodhya taking two wickets apiece.
The semi-final against Pakistan offered a considerably bigger challenge. Pakistan posted 177/4, with Ayesha Zafar making 71 and Shawaal Zulfiqar adding 54. Sri Lanka, however, responded with a composed chase, reaching 178/2 in 17.5 overs.
Athapaththu was again at the centre of the chase, smashing an unbeaten 83 off 50 balls. Hasini Perera provided strong support with 42 off 26, and the pair shared a 95-run partnership to take Sri Lanka into the final.
Athapaththu has scored 146 runs in two matches, making her Sri Lanka's leading batter in the tournament. She has also taken six wickets, underlining her all-round influence. Hasini, Dilhari and Harshitha Samarawickrama provide further batting options around their captain.ANOTHER FINAL, ANOTHER INDIA-SRI LANKA CHAPTER India and Sri Lanka recently met in the Women's Asia Cup final. Courtesy: ACC
The teams' recent final history stretches back to the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. India defeated Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the gold-medal match, with Smriti Mandhana scoring 46, Jemimah Rodrigues making 42 and Titas Sadhu taking 3/6 as India defended 116.
Sri Lanka reversed the result in the 2024 Women's Asia Cup final. Athapaththu scored 61 and Harshitha Samarawickrama remained unbeaten on 69 as Sri Lanka chased India's 165/6 to win their first Women's Asia Cup title.
India responded in the 2026 Women's Asia Cup final, beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs. Shafali Verma scored 68 and Mandhana made 59 before India's bowlers dismissed Sri Lanka for 111, securing India's eighth Women's Asia Cup title.
The Asian Games final now offers another meeting between the two sides. India will seek to retain the gold they won in Hangzhou, while Sri Lanka will look to build on their strong run through the tournament. With Shafali and Athapaththu leading the batting charge, the final brings together two unbeaten teams with plenty of recent history behind them.When to watch India vs Sri Lanka women’s cricket final in Asian Games 2026
The women’s cricket final between India and Sri Lanka will start at 10:30 AM IST and 2 PM local time.advertisementWhere to watch India vs Sri Lanka women’s cricket final in Asian Games 2026Sony Sports Network has the broadcasting rights for the Asian Games. Live Streaming of the match will be available on Sony LIV.Head-to-Head
