India have successfully defended their women’s cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games after defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on September 22.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team produced a dominant performance in both batting and bowling to secure its second consecutive Asian Games gold medal in women’s cricket. India had previously won the gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, held in 2023, after defeating Sri Lanka in the final.
After winning the toss, India elected to bat first and immediately put Sri Lanka under pressure. Openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided India with a strong start, putting together an opening partnership of 99 runs.
Mandhana played an aggressive innings and scored 79 runs from 45 deliveries. Her innings included five fours and seven sixes and helped India establish a strong foundation during the first half of the innings. The performance also marked another milestone in Mandhana’s international career, as she became the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 international runs.
Shafali Verma also contributed significantly, scoring 48 runs from 29 balls. Her attacking approach kept the scoring rate high and helped India maintain control after the powerplay.
India lost Shafali after the opening partnership, while captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 19 before being dismissed. However, the Indian innings received another boost from wicketkeeper batter Richa Ghosh.
Richa Ghosh produced a powerful late-innings performance and remained unbeaten on 49 from just 22 balls. Her innings included six fours and three sixes. She scored 25 runs in the final over as India finished their 20 overs at 216 for 3.
The total of 216 for 3 became the highest score recorded in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. India therefore entered the second innings with a target of 217 for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka's chase did not develop as planned. India's bowlers consistently picked up wickets and restricted the Sri Lankan batters from building partnerships.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu was the team's top scorer with 29 runs from 21 deliveries. However, her dismissal proved important as Sri Lanka struggled to maintain momentum during the chase.
Deepti Sharma was the standout bowler for India. She finished with three wickets for just six runs from her four overs. Shafali Verma, Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil also took two wickets each as the Indian bowling attack dismantled the Sri Lankan batting order.
Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 69 in 15.4 overs. India therefore completed a 147-run victory and secured the gold medal.
The result gives India back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in women’s cricket. The Indian team won the event at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where it also defeated Sri Lanka in the gold medal match. The latest victory extends India's successful run in the competition.
For Sri Lanka, the result means a silver medal in the women’s cricket event. Pakistan won the bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh in the third-place match.
The Indian victory also delivered the country's first gold medal of the 2026 Asian Games. India had already collected several medals in shooting and other events before the women's cricket final, but the cricket team's victory added the first gold to the country's medal tally.
India's medal tally included shooting medals before the cricket final. The Indian women's 10m air rifle team won silver, while Elavenil Valarivan also secured an individual silver medal. The men's 10m air rifle team won silver, with Himanshu Dhillon taking individual silver and Rudrankksh Patil winning bronze. Suchika Tariyal also secured a bronze medal in women's traditional 60kg MMA.
The women's cricket final was also significant because India entered the match as the defending champions. The team had progressed through the tournament with strong performances before meeting Sri Lanka in the final.
India's batting performance set the tone for the match. Mandhana and Shafali's opening partnership gave the team early momentum, while Richa Ghosh's unbeaten innings provided a powerful finish. The bowling unit then completed the job by restricting Sri Lanka to just 69 runs.
The 147-run winning margin is one of the most significant victories for India in the Asian Games women's cricket competition. The result also underlines the team's consistency in the tournament, with India now having won the women's cricket gold medal in consecutive editions.
The final provided several individual milestones as well. Mandhana's 79 was the highest score for India in the match, while Richa's unbeaten 49 came at a strike rate of more than 220. Deepti Sharma's three wickets for six runs were crucial in restricting Sri Lanka's chase.
For Harmanpreet Kaur's team, the victory adds another Asian Games title to India's women's cricket record. The players will now return their attention to their respective international and domestic commitments after securing the gold medal.
The 2026 Asian Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Games began in September, with Indian athletes competing across a wide range of sports.
India's women's cricket team has now completed its campaign with a gold medal. Sri Lanka finished with silver, while Pakistan took bronze. The Indian team's victory also adds to the country's growing record at the Asian Games in cricket.
The final score was India 216 for 3, with Smriti Mandhana scoring 79, Richa Ghosh remaining unbeaten on 49 and Shafali Verma contributing 48. Sri Lanka were dismissed for 69, with Deepti Sharma taking three wickets. India won by 147 runs and retained the women's cricket gold medal.