Indian Women’s Cricket Team Clinches Gold by Beating Sri Lanka

In the Asian Games cricket competition, the Indian women’s cricket team under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, won the gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China by defeating Sri Lanka with a 19-run victory. This is India’s first ever gold in cricket at the Asian Games.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah extended his congratulations to the team via a message on X (formerly Twitter). He said that the Indian women’s cricket team secured the Gold at the Asian Games with a commanding victory against Sri Lanka, led by the remarkable bowling performance of 18-year-old Titas Sadhu, who took 3 wickets for just 6 runs. He congratulated the entire team and support staff for this historic achievement.

India’s journey to the champions began with a strong batting performance. They won the toss and chose to bat first, reaching a total of 116-7 in their allotted 20 overs. The partnership between Smriti Mandhana, who scored 46 runs, and Jemimah Rodrigues, who added 42, played a crucial role in setting a competitive target for Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s chase began with some trouble, as they lost three wickets for only 14 runs in just the fifth over. This happened because Titas Sadhu, a right-arm seamer, delivered an exceptional performance. Sadhu’s remarkable bowling took three wickets for a mere six runs in her allotted overs, putting Sri Lanka on the defensive early in the game.

Despite their recent successes, including a historic series victory against England, Sri Lanka struggled to maintain the required run rate throughout their chase. Hasini Perera provided a hope with her quickfire 25, but wickets continued to fall. When Nilakshi de Silva was dismissed after contributing 23 runs, Sri Lanka found themselves at 78-5, needing 39 runs from just 23 balls—an almost impossible task. They managed to score only five runs in the final over which led to India’s victory.

The historic victory of the Indian women’s cricket team at the 19th Asian Games, serves as an inspiring tale for young aspiring cricketers. It undoubtedly provides motivation for young cricketers, encouraging them to dream big, put in the effort, and believe in their abilities.