India’s women’s cricket team clinched the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan after defeating Sri Lanka by a commanding 147 runs in the final on September 22. Batting first, India posted an imposing 216/3 in 20 overs, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s 79 off 45 balls and Shafali Verma’s 48 off 29 balls. Richa Ghosh provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 49 off just 22 deliveries. Chasing 217, Sri Lanka struggled against India’s disciplined bowling attack and were bowled out for 69 in 15.4 overs. Deepti Sharma starred with three wickets for just six runs, while Shafali Verma and Shree Charani claimed two wickets each. The emphatic victory secured India’s second consecutive women’s cricket gold at the Asian Games, following their triumph in Hangzhou in 2023, and highlighted the team’s dominance in the tournament.