By Marlon Dale Ferreira
Sri Lanka women’s cricket team achieved a historic milestone by securing their first-ever Women’s Asia Cup title on Sunday. They defeated the seven-time champions, India, by 8 wickets in a thrilling final.
The match, held at Dambulla, saw Sri Lanka chase down a challenging target of 165 runs set by India. Skipper Chamari Athapaththu led the charge with a stellar innings of 61 runs, including 2 sixes and 9 boundaries. Her explosive performance set the tone for Sri Lanka’s successful run chase.
Despite a setback with Vishmi Gunaratne’s early run-out, Harshitha Samarawickrama provided crucial support by scoring an unbeaten 69 runs off 51 balls. Alongside Samarawickrama, Kaveesha Dilhari contributed a valuable 30* as Sri Lanka comfortably reached their target with eight wickets to spare.
Earlier, India, having won the toss, opted to bat first. Their innings was anchored by opener Smriti Mandhana, who scored a solid 60 runs. Jemimah Rodrigues added 29 runs before being run out, while Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was dismissed for 11 runs by Sri Lanka’s Sachini Nisansala.
Sri Lanka’s bowlers were effective throughout India’s innings, with Kavisha Dilhari taking 2 wickets and Sachini Nisansala and Chamari Athapaththu each claiming one wicket. India finished their innings at 165 for 3 wickets.
Sri Lanka’s comprehensive victory marks a significant achievement for their women’s cricket team and a proud moment in their sporting history. The win not only highlights their skill and determination but also marks a new chapter in the Women’s Asia Cup, showcasing the rise of Sri Lankan women’s cricket on the international stage.
Chief Score :-
India :- 165/6 (Smrithi Mandana 60(47), Richa Gosh 30(14), Jemimah Rodrigues 29(16 – Kavisha Dilhari 36/2 , Udeshika Prrabodhani 27/1)
Sri Lanka 167/2 (18.4) (Chamari Athapattu 60(43), Harishitha Samarawickrama 69(51), Kavisha Dilhari 30(16) – Deepti Sharma 31/1)
Player of the match :- Harshitha Samarawickrama
This was such an impressive win! Loved the write-up