India have opened their gold-medal account at the 2026 Asian Games in emphatic fashion, with Harmanpreet Kaur-led women’s cricket team defeating Sri Lanka in the gold-medal clash at Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The victory gives India its first gold medal of the Games as the defending champions retained the women’s cricket title.
India had entered the final after an impressive knockout campaign. After defeating hosts Japan in the quarter-final, Harmanpreet’s side produced a commanding 114-run victory over Bangladesh in the semi-final. Shafali Verma was the star of that match, smashing an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls, while Harmanpreet contributed 40.
The final against Sri Lanka was another statement performance.
After winning the toss, Harmanpreet chose to bat, and India’s top order immediately put Sri Lanka under pressure. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 99 runs for the opening wicket, setting the platform for a huge total. Mandhana scored a magnificent 79 from 45 balls, while Shafali made 48 from 29 deliveries.
Mandhana’s innings was particularly significant as she became the first woman cricketer to cross 11,000 international runs. Her knock included seven sixes and five fours, underlining India’s aggressive approach in the final.
Richa Ghosh then provided a spectacular finish, smashing an unbeaten 49 from just 22 balls. India ended their 20 overs on 216/3, the highest-ever total in women’s cricket at the Asian Games.
Sri Lanka were left with a massive target and struggled against India’s bowling attack. The pressure produced wickets at regular intervals, with Sri Lanka collapsing to 69 all out, giving India a win by a massive 147-run margin.
The women’s team had also won the gold medal in Hangzhou in 2023, when cricket made its debut for India at the Asian Games.
For Harmanpreet Kaur, the triumph adds another continental title to her leadership record. India had also defeated Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup final earlier this month, winning by 72 runs to claim their eighth Asia Cup title.
With India’s first gold now secured, the victory could provide momentum to the country’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.
