India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs to take a record eighth Women's Asia Cup title

India won the Women's Asia Cup for a record eighth time in Dubai, beating holders Sri Lanka by 72 runs in a final they controlled from the opening over

Harmanpreet Kaur chose to bat at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and India made 183 for 5 from their 20 overs, a total built on an opening partnership Sri Lanka could not break until the 13th over.

Sri Lanka, needing 184, were dismissed for 111 in 20 overs. They lost a wicket in the first over of the reply and never recovered the rate once India turned to spin.

Shree Charani finished with 4-20 from her four overs and Deepti Sharma took 3-19, the two of them taking seven of the ten wickets.

Shafali sets the tempo

Shafali Verma attacked from the first over and India were 57 for 0 at the end of the powerplay, with four of her boundaries and both of her sixes struck inside it.

She reached fifty from 24 balls, the fastest in Women's Asia Cup history, passing the 25-ball fifty Smriti Mandhana made against Sri Lanka in 2022.

Shafali made 68 from 39 balls with nine fours and two sixes before Chamudi Praboda dismissed her in the 13th over.

A record opening stand

Smriti Mandhana made 59 from 39 balls with five fours and three sixes, and was run out soon after her partner fell.

Their stand was the highest for any wicket in the competition's history, and the highest in the final of any women's T20I tournament.

Richa Ghosh and Harmanpreet kept the rate up through the closing overs, and a six from the 18-year-old G Kamalini ended the innings.

No Sri Lanka bowler took more than one wicket. Mithali Ayodhya conceded 33 from her four overs and Athapaththu 34 from hers.

Sri Lanka lose their way against spin

Kranti Gaud bowled Imesha Dulani in the opening over of the chase, and Sri Lanka closed the powerplay on 38 for 1.

Harmanpreet brought her spinners on as soon as the restrictions lifted and the innings stalled. Sri Lanka were 63 for 3 at halfway, with more than twelve an over still to find.

Chamari Athapaththu top-scored with 36 from 32 balls before Deepti Sharma had her stumped, and Nilakshika Silva's 22 was the only other score of substance.

Charani ended one partnership with a return catch, then struck twice in three deliveries in her following over to leave the chase beyond saving.

The lower order went quickly once the captain was gone. Sri Lanka were 102 for 6 in the 16th over and lost their last four wickets for nine runs.

An unbeaten campaign

India came through the tournament without a defeat and reached the final for the tenth time in a row.

Shafali ended as the leading run-scorer of the competition with 236 runs from five innings, including three fifties.

Two of those fifties came in her last two innings of the tournament, the second of them in the final itself.

The result reversed the 2024 final, which Sri Lanka won.

Harmanpreet on India's standards

"We know they are a great team. But we played to our standards. We set high standards for ourselves and we wanted to keep matching them," Harmanpreet said after the match.

She singled out her opener, saying it was "great to see someone like Shafali take responsibility through the tournament".

Head coach Amol Muzumdar said he was "really proud of all the players and support staff", adding that "it was a fantastic pitch today and we came up good".

Scorecard: India Women 183 for 5 (Shafali Verma 68, Smriti Mandhana 59) beat Sri Lanka Women 111 (Chamari Athapaththu 36; Shree Charani 4-20, Deepti Sharma 3-19) by 72 runs

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