India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat first against Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup 2026 final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, 13 September. The match marks a significant team selection shift, with G Kamalini coming in for Pratika Rawal — Kaur's first toss win of the tournament and India's only lineup change across all their matches.

The One Change India Made

Kamalini's inclusion is her first appearance in the tournament and only her second T20I cap for India. Kaur described Pratika as 'resting' and backed Kamalini's ability to deliver in a high-pressure final. The decision signals India's confidence in their squad depth even as the stakes hit their peak.

'We do have one change. Pratika is resting today; Kamini is back. She has a lot of ability, and hopefully she'll enjoy herself today,' Harmanpreet Kaur said at the toss.

India's Form and Tournament Dominance

Both sides enter the final unbeaten, but India have been considerably more commanding. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have shouldered the bulk of the batting, while spinners Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani have been relentless with the ball, picking up 11 and 8 wickets respectively. Kaur was measured but direct about India's batting-first strategy: 'Having a score on the board is always positive. It's all about using the batting power-play and then see how much we can get.'

Sri Lanka's Struggles and Their Tactical Call

Sri Lanka have been unbeaten but have shown vulnerability in batting, with captain Chamari Athapaththu managing only 63 runs from four innings. The island nation made one change of their own, bringing in Vishmi Gunaratne in place of Sanjana Kavindi. Athapaththu acknowledged that, had she won the toss, Sri Lanka would have bowled first. 'If we won the toss, definitely we would have bowled first, because we back our skills,' she said, pointing to her side's bowling form as their primary weapon.

Historical Context and What Is at Stake

India are chasing a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title — having won four continental trophies in the ODI format and three in T20Is. Their head-to-head record against Sri Lanka is heavily in their favour: nine wins from their last 10 T20Is against Sri Lanka. Notably, their only recent defeat came in the 2024 Asia Cup final in Dambulla — making this final a direct opportunity for redemption. India also swept Sri Lanka 5-0 in a T20I series in December 2025, underscoring their superiority in the format.

Playing XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Gunalan Kamalini, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Nandani Sharma.

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wk), Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, Mithali Ayodhya.

With India desperate to avenge their 2024 final loss and Sri Lanka banking on their bowling to create early pressure, the Women's Asia Cup 2026 final promises to be a compelling contest.