By Hishan Welmilla
Sri Lanka’s women’s cricket team secured a second consecutive silver medal at the Asian Games after India produced a dominant performance to win the gold-medal match by 147 runs in Nagoya, Japan, on Tuesday.
The result means Sri Lanka once again finish runners-up in women’s cricket at the continental multi-sport event, repeating their silver-medal achievement from the previous edition. India, meanwhile, successfully defended the gold medal they won at the 2022 Asian Games.
Sri Lanka entered the final with confidence after an impressive semi-final victory over Pakistan. Captain Chamari Athapaththu had led from the front in that match, smashing an unbeaten 83 from 50 deliveries as Sri Lanka chased down Pakistan’s 177 for four with 13 balls remaining.
However, the final proved a completely different contest.
India, batting first, produced a powerful display to post 216 for three in their 20 overs — the highest total recorded in Asian Games women’s cricket. Smriti Mandhana led the charge with an outstanding 79 from 45 deliveries, while Shafali Verma contributed 48. Richa Ghosh then provided a spectacular finish, remaining unbeaten on 49 from just 22 balls.
The Indian opening pair immediately placed Sri Lanka under pressure. Mandhana combined timing and power while Shafali attacked the bowling, allowing India to establish a formidable platform during the opening overs.
For Sri Lanka, the challenge of chasing 217 became increasingly difficult as wickets fell at regular intervals. The Indian bowling attack maintained pressure throughout the innings, with Deepti Sharma claiming three wickets for just six runs. Shafali Verma, Shri Charani and Shreyanka Patil also took two wickets each as Sri Lanka were dismissed for only 69 in 15.4 overs.
Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka with 29, but the batting line-up was unable to reproduce the confidence and aggression displayed against Pakistan in the semi-final.
The heavy defeat should not, however, overshadow Sri Lanka’s achievement in reaching the Asian Games final for the second successive edition. Their route to the gold-medal match demonstrated their ability to compete against leading Asian teams, particularly in the semi-final where they successfully chased a challenging target against Pakistan.
The silver medal also comes at the end of a demanding period for the Sri Lankan side. Sri Lanka had reached the final of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup earlier this month, only to lose to India. India subsequently went on to win the tournament, extending their record to eight Asia Cup titles.
Sri Lanka also arrived in Japan without several players who had featured prominently in recent campaigns. Nilakshika Silva, who had been a major contributor during the Asia Cup, missed the Asian Games after suffering a fractured finger, while Vishmi Gunarathne and Chetana Vimukthi were also absent from the 15-member squad.
For India, the victory represented another milestone, giving the country its second successive Asian Games women’s cricket gold and its first gold medal of the 2026 Games.
For Sri Lanka, the silver medal represents continuity at the Asian Games — but the 147-run final defeat also provides a clear indication of the distance still to be covered against India at the highest level.
The challenge now is to turn consecutive Asian Games silver medals into the foundation for a team capable of taking the final step onto the top of the podium.
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