Aichi-Nagoya, September 23 (TNA) India opened its gold-medal account at the Asian Games 2026 after the women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final on Tuesday.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India produced a dominant performance in the gold-medal match. The Indian team posted 216/3, with Smriti Mandhana leading the batting effort with a top score of 79. India then restricted Sri Lanka to secure a comprehensive victory.
The result marked India’s second consecutive gold medal in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. India had also won the gold medal in the event at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
India had reached the final after defeating Bangladesh by 114 runs in the semi-final. Shafali Verma scored an unbeaten century as India made 195/4, while Deepti Sharma and Nandini Sharma claimed three wickets each to dismiss Bangladesh for 81.
The women’s cricket team’s victory also strengthened India’s overall campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. India’s total medal tally rose to seven, including its first gold medal of the competition. The tally also includes medals won by Indian athletes in shooting and other events, including Suchika Tariyal’s bronze in MMA.
The gold is expected to provide a major boost to the Indian contingent as competition continues across various disciplines.