Cricket brings first gold for India: Harmanpreet’s women defend Asian Games crown with crushing win over Sri Lanka

India win back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in women’s cricket, with Smriti Mandhana’s 79 setting up a commanding victory over Sri Lanka.

Four days into the Asian Games 2026, India have clinched their first gold medal, with the women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, delivering the result with a thumping 147-run win over Sri Lanka in the final. In a repeat of the 2023 final, the Indian batters put on quite the show, with Smriti Mandhana top-scoring with 79 as India posted a strong 216/3. Sri Lanka, in response, were bundled out for 69.

India women with back-to-back gold medals at the Asian Games (BCCI Women)

India had already defeated Sri Lanka three years ago in Hangzhou and, more recently, in last week’s Asia Cup final, before making it three wins in a row against them in big-ticket multi-nation finals. The win takes India's medal tally to 7, after Suchika Tariyal's MMA bronze and five from shooting.

Smriti Mandhana’s 79 laid the foundation for the highest total by a women’s team at the Games. In the process, Mandhana added another feather to her already illustrious cap, becoming the first woman to complete 11,000 runs in international cricket, just two days after becoming the lead run-getter in women's T20Is.

Deep Dive

How did India women's cricket team achieve victory in the Asian Games 2026 final?

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Why is the Asian Games 2026 win significant for India's women's cricket team?

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With the boundary ropes pulled in, Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s eyes lit up as they feasted on the Sri Lankan bowlers, blasting 67 runs inside the Powerplay. The duo matched each other shot for shot, with both taking the attack to Chamari Athapaththu. Shafali began the fifth over with two sixes, before Mandhana belted a third as the 19-run over brought up their fifty partnership. Shafali surpassed Laura Wolvaardt to take her tally to 863 runs in 2026 before a reverse sweep brought about her dismissal. Her last five scores now include a century and two fifties.

Mandana refuses to stop

Mandhana continued the assault, striking seven sixes. During her 97-run stand with Verma, the duo completed 4,000 runs batting together in women’s T20Is. Promoting Harmanpreet Kaur to No. 3 was a deliberate move, with the belief that the India skipper could find some form, but she departed for a scratchy 17 off 19 balls. Her dismissal brought Richa Ghosh to the crease, with the wicketkeeper batter also having struggled for form, but she quickly found her rhythm, remaining unbeaten on 49 off 22 balls.

Sri Lanka's underwhelming chase

Sri Lanka’s response was in stark contrast to how the Indian counterparts had fared. It took Shafali just three overs to land the first blows, and before Sri Lanka knew it, they were struggling at 49/6. Athapaththu was the only batter who looked comfortable, hitting five boundaries, while five of their seven batters failed to reach double figures. After the first two overs from Kranti Gaud and Nandani Sharma, Harman turned to her spinner, after which the Lankan batting unravelled. Shafali began the demolition, Sree Charane added to the misery, before Deepti Sharma's 3/6 knocked the stuffing out of the opposition.