India women retain Asian Games cricket gold with 147-run rout of Sri Lanka
Synopsis
India's women didn't just win gold — they shattered records doing it. A 216/3 total, the highest in women's Asian Games cricket history, combined with a 147-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the final, has set the stage for ICC chief Jay Shah to make the case that women's cricket is ready for its Olympic moment at LA28.
Key Takeaways
India women's cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the Asian Games 2026 final in Nisshin, Nagoya on 22 September 2026 .
Smriti Mandhana blasted 79 off 45 balls (7 sixes, 5 fours); Richa Ghosh added an unbeaten 49 off 22 as India posted 216/3 — a new Asian Games women's record.
Deepti Sharma took 3 for 6 ; Sri Lanka were dismissed for just 69 .
India's total also surpassed the highest-ever women's T20 final score of 210 set earlier this year.
ICC chairman Jay Shah linked the result to cricket's return to the Olympics at LA28 , calling it proof the women's game is ready for the biggest stages.
India retained the gold medal it also won at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games , defeating Sri Lanka in the final on both occasions.
The Indian women's cricket team successfully defended its Asian Games gold medal on Tuesday, 22 September 2026, dismantling Sri Lanka by a commanding 147 runs in the final held in Nisshin, Nagoya. The victory prompted swift congratulations from ICC chairman Jay Shah and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, both hailing the team's back-to-back gold-medal achievement.
Record-breaking batting display
Smriti Mandhana anchored the innings with a blazing 79 off 45 balls, studded with seven sixes and five fours, as India posted 216/3 — the highest total in the history of women's Asian Games cricket. Shafali Verma chipped in with a brisk 48 off 29 balls, while Richa Ghosh finished the innings in style with an unbeaten 49 off 22 deliveries to provide the late acceleration India needed.
The total surpassed the previous Asian Games women's record of 202/4, set by Hong Kong against Mongolia at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, and also eclipsed the highest score ever recorded in a women's T20 final — 210, set by Brazil against Spain earlier this year.
Bowlers seal a comprehensive win
Deepti Sharma was the standout with figures of 3 for 6, while Shafali Verma, Sree Charani, and Shreyanka Patil each claimed two wickets to bundle Sri Lanka out for a meagre 69. Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka with 29 off 21 balls, but India's bowlers struck at regular intervals, ensuring the chase never gained momentum.
Jay Shah and BCCI hail the achievement
ICC chairman Jay Shah congratulated the team in a post on X, writing: 'Congratulations to India women's team for winning the Asian Games gold! And well played Sri Lanka on clinching silver in Japan after a strong campaign. As we look ahead to cricket's return to the Olympics at #LA28, spectacles like this prove that the women's game is ready to command the biggest multi-sport stages.'
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also hailed the side for back-to-back Asian Games titles and drew attention to India's momentum after a dominant Asia Cup campaign in Dubai. 'Back-to-back Asian Games Gold medals — a remarkable achievement and a truly proud moment for Indian cricket,' Saikia said, adding that the team had 'made the nation proud once again.'
Context and what it means for women's cricket
India's gold is particularly significant given the broader push to expand women's cricket on the global multi-sport calendar. This is the second consecutive Asian Games final in which India has defeated Sri Lanka, underlining a period of sustained dominance at the continental level. Jay Shah's explicit reference to LA28 signals that performances like this carry weight beyond the medal tally — they are part of the case being built for cricket's full Olympic debut. This also comes amid rising viewership and sponsorship interest in the women's game across South Asia, making the result as commercially meaningful as it is sporting.
Point of View
Suggesting a competitive gulf that organisers and broadcasters will need to address if women's cricket at multi-sport events is to generate the drama the sport's growth story needs.
NationPress
22 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did India win the Asian Games 2026 women's cricket gold?
India posted a record 216/3, powered by Smriti Mandhana's 79 off 45 balls, and then bowled Sri Lanka out for 69 to win by 147 runs in the final in Nisshin, Nagoya on 22 September 2026. It is India's second successive Asian Games women's cricket gold medal.
What record did India set in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final?
India's 216/3 is the highest total in the history of women's Asian Games cricket, surpassing Hong Kong's 202/4 set at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. The total also broke the record for the highest score in any women's T20 final, eclipsing the 210 set by Brazil against Spain earlier this year.
What did ICC chairman Jay Shah say about India's win?
Jay Shah congratulated the team in a post on X and connected the result to cricket's return to the Olympics at LA28, writing that 'spectacles like this prove that the women's game is ready to command the biggest multi-sport stages.' BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also praised the back-to-back gold medals as 'a truly proud moment for Indian cricket.'
Who were the top performers for India in the final?
Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 79 off 45 balls, including seven sixes and five fours. Richa Ghosh added an unbeaten 49 off 22 deliveries, and Shafali Verma contributed 48 off 29 with the bat. With the ball, Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 6, while Shafali Verma, Sree Charani, and Shreyanka Patil each took two wickets.
Have India and Sri Lanka met before in an Asian Games women's cricket final?
Yes. India also defeated Sri Lanka in the final of the previous Asian Games in 2023 in Hangzhou, retaining the gold medal at the 2026 edition marks back-to-back titles and back-to-back wins over the same opponent in the final.
