NAGOA, Sept 22: India secured its first gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games after the women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the T20 final in Japan on Tuesday. The victory also saw India retain the title it won at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Batting first, India posted a formidable 216 for three in 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave the defending champions a fast start, putting together a 99-run opening partnership.
Mandhana top-scored with 79 from 45 balls, while Verma contributed 48. Richa Ghosh provided a powerful finish, remaining unbeaten on 49 from just 22 deliveries.
Sri Lanka struggled to respond to India’s imposing total and were bowled out for 69 in less than 16 overs. Shafali and Deepti Sharma led the bowling effort as India’s attack kept the opposition under pressure throughout the chase.
Mandhana also reached a major individual milestone during her innings, becoming the first woman cricketer to complete 11,000 international runs.
Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 31 runs to claim the bronze medal in the women’s T20 competition.