SrI Lanka won the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 title after beating India by eight wickets in the final at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. India had it easy in the group stage and the semi-final against Bangladesh, but Sri Lanka made them sweat. Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama kept India on their toes in the high-voltage match and eventually guided their team past the finish line.
After being asked to bat first, India put up a healthy score of 165 for six on the board. Smriti Mandhana carried on from where she left off against Bangladesh. The southpaw laid the platform with a knock of 60 off 47 balls with the help of 10 fours. It was her partnership of 44 runs for the opening wicket that set the tone for the Women in Blue.
Uma Chetry and Harmanpreet Kaur failed to get going in the middle. But Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh made sure that India did not lose any momentum. Rodrigues made 29 runs off 16 balls while Richa threw her bat around to make 30 off 14. Kavisha Dilhari was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers with figures of 4-0-36-2. Udeshika Prabodhani, Sachini Nisansala and Athapaththu accounted for a scalp apiece.
The run-chase did not start on an auspicious note for Sri Lanka by any means after Vishmi Gunaratne was run out. However, Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama restored sanity in the innings with a partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket. Chamari racked up over 300 runs and got to her half-century off 32 balls.
Deepti Sharma got her prized wicket when Athapaththu was bowled around her legs. When the Sri Lankan skipper departed for 61 off 43 balls, the hosts still needed 72 runs off the last eight overs. However, Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 69-run knock helped Sri Lanka chase the target with eight balls left.
Dilhari also threw her bat around to stay unbeaten on 30 off 16 balls. Sri Lanka also ended their four-match losing streak against India in the Women’s Asia Cup finals. The only other time India did not win was in 2018, when they lost to Bangladesh in the final.
Chamari Athapaththu (61) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out) shone brightly as Sri Lanka thrashed India by eight wickets to win their first ever Women’s T20 Asia Cup title here on Sunday.
Chasing 166, Sri Lanka showed no qualms in knocking off the target in 18.4 overs to score 167/2 and win with eight balls to spare.
Skipper Athapaththu led from the front with a 43-ball 61 with nine fours and two sixes and Harshitha made 69 not out from 51 balls with six fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Smriti Mandhana (60) and Richa Ghosh (30) fired as India posted 165 for 6 against Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup final on Sunday.
Mandhana dropped anchor to make 60 from 47 balls (10 fours) as she led a resolute fight for India.
India had raced to 44 for no loss at the end of powerplay but Sri Lanka bowlers, led by Kavisha Dilhari (2/36), put up a strong fight.
Towards the end, Ghosh’s vital 30 off 14 balls with four fours and a six took India past the 150-run mark.
