India win seventh Women’s Asia Cup title with easy win over Sri Lanka | Cricket News

SYLHET: India have their dominance in the Women’s Asia Cup with an eight-wicket demolition of a self-destructive Sri Lanka in the final here on Saturday for their seventh title in eight editions.
Sri Lanka, playing in their first tournament final in 14 years, imploded after opting to bat on a slow and spinning pitch. They could only manage 65 for nine which bowled India out in 8.3 overs. Smriti Mandhana hit a sublime 51 not out from 25 balls.

It was a march behind Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu was run out in the third over after a mix-up with Anushka Sanjeewani who was also run out six balls later.
As It Happened
Renuka, who has been in top form since the Commonwealth Games in August, sent back Hasini Perera on the very 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 partnership but Kavisha Dilhari’s fall made it 16 for five when she was bowled while trying to play an incoming delivery from Renuka over the line.

Rajeshwari Gayakwad got her first wicket after Nilakshi de Silva played on her stumps as he tried to cut a ball close to her body. At 32 for eight, being bowled out for a sub-50 total was very much on the cards, but Ranaweera saved them from that ignominy with an unbeaten 18 off 22 balls.
The Indians bowled with discipline but poor stroke selection contributed more to Sri Lanka’s steep slide. After a memorable win over Pakistan in the semi-finals, the occasion seemed to get the better of Sri Lanka.
India lost Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues cheaply in the chase. However, both batsmen performed well in the tournament, with Shafali returning to form and Jemimah making a successful comeback from injury.

The elegant Mandhana played some superb shots on her way to complete the formality along with captain Harmanpreet Kaur (11 not out from 14). Smriti’s effort included three sixes and six boundaries. Fittingly, she sealed the win with a maximum off Oshadi Ranasinghe.

The win is a shot in the arm for India’s preparations for the T20 World Cup next year. They were able to test players for different roles during the competition, although this also contributed to their only loss in the tournament, against Pakistan in the league stage.
The Indians took a lap of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and clicked in a good gesture with the entire ground staff after their victory, which was witnessed by a sizeable turnout.