Sri Lanka, which was playing its first tournament final in 14 years, imploded after opting to bat on a slow and turning pitch. It could only manage 65 for nine, which India knocked off in 8.3 overs.
India maintained its dominance in the Women’s Asia Cup with an eight- gate obliteration of a tone- destructing Sri Lanka in the final then on Saturday for its seventh title in eight editions.
Sri Lanka, which was playing its first event final in 14 times, collapsed after concluding to club on a slow and turning pitch. It could only manage 65 for nine, which India knocked off in8.3 overs. Smriti Mandhana struck a sublime 51 not out out 25 balls.
It was a procession after Sri Lankan commander Chamari Athapaththu got run out in the third over following a blend up with Anushka Sanjeewani, who too got run out six balls latterly.
Renuka Singh Thakur, who has been in top form since the Commonwealth Games in August, transferred back Hasini Perera off the veritably first ball she faced. The left- hander checked her shot only to be caught at cover, leaving Sri Lanka at nine for four.
The Sri Lankans were in dire need of a cooperation but Kavisha Dilhari’s fall made it 16 for five as she was sailed while trying to play an incoming delivery from Renuka across the line.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad got her first gate after Nilakshi de Silva played on to her wholes while trying to cut a ball close to her body. At 32 for eight, being sailed out for asub-50 aggregate was veritably much on the cards, but Ranaweera saved Sri Lanka from that discredit with an unbeaten 18 off 22 balls.
The Indians sailed with discipline but poor shot selection contributed further to Sri Lanka’s steep slide. After a memorable palm over Pakistan in the semifinals, it sounded the occasion got the better of Sri Lanka.
India lost Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues cheaply in the run chase. still, both the batters did well in the event, with Shafali getting back to form and Jemimah making a successful comeback from injury.
The elegant Mandhana played some exquisite strokes on way to completing the formality alongside commander Harmanpreet Kaur( 11 not out off 14). Smriti’s trouble included three sixes and six boundaries. meetly, she sealed the palm with a outside off Oshadi Ranasinghe.
The palm is a shot in the arm for India’s medications for the T20 World Cup coming time. It was suitable to test players for different places during the competition, though that also contributed to its only loss in the event, against Pakistan, in the league stage.
The Indians took a stage of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and, in a fine gesture, got clicked with the entire groundstaff after their triumph, which was witnessed by a sizeable turnout.
While India gamboled home against Thailand to reach yet another Asia Cup final, Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by the barest of perimeters- just one run- to advance to their first Asia Cup final in 14 times! Toss and Playing XI of both brigades coming over soon.
In the round- robin hassle between these two brigades, India maundered first and scored 150 and sailed out Sri Lanka for 109. Can Sri Lanka settle the score moment or will India fly home with the title? Know More Women’s Cricket News…
Complete Squads
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, S Meghana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Thakur, Meghna Singh, Kiran Navgire and Pooja Vastrakar
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandha Kumari, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Madhushika Methtananda, Hasini Perera, Odhadi Ranasinghe, Inoka Ranaweera, Anushka Sanjeewani, Kaushani Nuthyangana, Malsha Shehani and Rashmi Silva
