India women’s cricket team wins Gold

In the final of the ongoing Asian Games 2023, India’s women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 19 runs.

In the final of the ongoing Asian Games 2023, India’s women’s cricket team defeated Sri Lanka by 19 runs. This was India’s second gold medal at the Asian Games in 2023.

Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s captain, won the toss and chose to bat first in the final. Shafali Varma was the first wicket to go, with Sugandika Kumari taking her first of the day. After that, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues put on an important 73-run stand to put India back in the game.

Mandhana, on the other hand, fell short of her 23rd T20I half-century, being dismissed by Inoka Ranaweera after scoring 46 runs off 45 balls, smacking five boundaries and a single six.

Rodrigues scored 42 runs off 40 deliveries but received little help from her colleagues as wickets fell all around her. Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet, Pooja Vastrakar, and Amanjot Kaur came and went without making much of an impact on the scoreboard.

India recovered from a score of 102 for 3 after 16.4 overs to achieve a total of 116 for 7 after 20 overs. Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, and Ranaweera led the Lankan bowlers with two wickets each.

India got off to a fast start in the second innings, taking three early wickets. Titas Sadhu struck with the new ball, dismissing both openers Chamari Athapaththu and Anushka Sanjeewani, as well as Vishmi Gunaratne, to reduce Sri Lanka to 14 for 3 in 4.2 overs.

Hasini Perera and Nilakshi de Silva, on the other hand, put on a vital 36-run stand to get Sri Lanka back into the game. Rajeshwari Gayakwad dismissed Perera after she hit 25 runs off 22 balls. Vastrakar then castled De Silva after she had scored 23 runs off 34 deliveries.

Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya bowled brilliantly to dismiss Oshadi Ranasinghe as India upped the ante. Sri Lanka finished their innings with 97 for 8 after 20 overs, falling 19 runs short.

Sadhu was India’s best bowler, taking three wickets and allowing six runs in four overs. This is India’s second gold medal at the ongoing Asian Games 2023.