New Delhi: Sri Lanka defeated defending champions India by eight wickets to win their first women’s Asia Cup title.
They chased down a target of 166 runs to condemn India to only their second loss in nine Asia Cup editions across formats in Dambulla on Sunday.
Skipper Chamari Athapaththu (61b, 43b, 9×4, 2×6) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out, 51b, 6×4, 2×6) led the home side to victory in 18.4 overs.]
India had earlier lost to Bangladesh in 2028 in Kuala Lumpur and on Sunday they were shackled by the Lankan bowlers.
Smriti Mandhana’s 60 off 47 balls was the highlight of India’s battinf display. She hit 10 boundaries and along with Jemimah Rodrigues (29, 16 balls, 3×4, 1×6) and Richa Ghosh (30, 14 balls, 4×4, 1×6) lifted India to 165 for six.
Sri Lanka operated with only a pacer in Udeshika Prabodhani while their slow bowlers utilised the sluggish conditions to frustrate the Indian batters.
Shafali Verma (16, 19 balls) struggled to get her timing going as Mandhana improvised to score boundaries behind the stumps.
The Indian vice-captain reached her fifty in 36 balls, while Harmanpreet Kaur and Uma Chetry, promoted to No. 3, couldn’t tackle the pitch as were dismissed cheaply.
When the Sri Lankan batters, they didn’t face too much difficulty as Athapaththu and Samarawickrama put on 87 runs. It set up their chaese nicely as they nudged the ball around to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Athapaththu got her fifty in 33 balls while Samarawickrama reached the mark in 43 balls. Once Athapaththu was bowled around her legs by Deepti, Kavisha Dilhari (30 not out, 16b, 1×4, 2×6) came out and produced a 73-run unbeaten stand off 40 balls with Samarawickrama to take them to win.
India looked lethargic on the field and unimaginative with the ball and were rightfully second best in the match.
Sri Lanka chased down a target of 166 runs to condemn India to only their second loss in nine Asia Cup editions across formats in Dambulla on Sunday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
