Asian Games 2023, Highlights: Indian women’s team beats Sri Lanka by 19 runs, wins country’s maiden cricket gold

It’s the second gold medal of the day for India after the shooting trio of Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil, Divyansh Singh Panwar, and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar finished at the top of the podium in men’s 10m air rifle team event with a world record.

Gayakwad to bowl the final over. Sugandika and Priyadarshani find two singles off the first to balls but that won’t be enough. Dot ball from Gayakwad.

A double on the fourth ball for Sugandika.

WICKET!!! Sugandika charges down the pitch, misses the ball and Richa Ghosh does the rest.

A single off the final ball for Prabodani. That’s it.

India beats Sri Lanka by 19 runs to win its first-ever gold medal in cricket at Asian Games!

Devika Vaidya to complete her quota. Kaveesha and Sugandika in the middle for Sri Lanka with 30 required off the last two overs.

Kaveesha survives a run out appeal as she completes a double on the second ball. Tough ask for Sri Lanka - 27 off 9.

Sugandika picks up a single off the penultimate ball. WICKET!!!! Kaveesh goes for a big shot, the ball finds the top edge, Richa runs and dives to catch the ball close to the non-striker’s end.

Sri Lanka needs 25 off the final over with three wickets left.

Deepti Sharma deceives Ranasinghe but Richa fails to collect the ball. The Sri Lankan batters run for a bye.

WICKET!!! Deepti gets the set batter as Ranasinghe hits the reverse sweep straight into the hands of Titas at short third. Ranasinghe departs for 19.

Three off the over.

Kaveesha goes for a sweep, the ball takes the top edge and hits her on the helmet. Concussion protocol to be followed.

Vastrakar to bowl her final over. WICKET!!! And she gets the breakthrough! Nilakshi looks to scoop one over fine leg but the slower yorker from Vastrakar hits the bottom of the middle and leg stump. Nilakshi de Silva out for 23.

Kavisha is the new batter in and she finds a single straight away. FOUR!!! Brilliant pull from Ranasinghe, goes over mid wicket and finds the fence. A single for Ranasinghe off the penultimate ball as she takes her score to 19. Vastrakar ends her quota with a dot ball.

Titas Sadhu back into the attack for her final over. Ranasinghe finds a single on the second ball. Nilakshi goes for a big shot on the fourth ball but only gets a single.

Ranasinghe swings hard, the top edge lands safely. Another top edge, lands short off mid off. Four off the over.

Devika to bowl her third over. She has only conceded five runs in her first two. FOUR!!! Nilakshi hits a gorgeous inside-out shot for a boundary. Follows it up with a sweep to pick up a single and move to 21.

Ranasinghe goes for a reverse sweep off the penultimate ball of the over and ends up missing it completely. Leg bye off the final ball.

Deepti to bowl her third over. Another top edge and yet again, Nilakshi survives. Single taken. Ranasinge hits one down to long on to pick another single.

FOUR!!! Excellent reverse sweep from Ranasinghe. The Sri Lankan manages to hit one past the fielder at cover to pick a double.

Devika back for her second over. Nilakshi skies one which lands just short of deep mid wicket and picks up a single. Ranasinghe sweeps one down to find leg to rotate the strike.

Only two from this one.

Deepti Sharma, who bowled an expensive first over of the innings, is back for her second over. Ranasinghe takes a single off the first ball. Four runs off the over.

Leg-spinner Devika Vaidya into the attack. Finds the top edge of Nilakshi’s bat but the ball lands safely as the batter picks up a single. Four off the over.

Sharp turn for Gayakwad, Hasini sweeps and top edges it over Richa to pick up a couple. FOUR!!! Hasini charges down the track and hits it over square leg for a boundary. SIX!!!! Hasini sweeps it big to send the ball over wide long on for a maximum and that brings up Sri Lanka’s 50.

WICKET!!! However, Gayakwad has the last laugh as she bowls a slower one, Hasini goes for a big sweep again but this time, the top edge carries to Vastrakar at deep square leg. Hasini goes for 25.

Oshadi Ranasinghe, the new batter, plays a dot ball to end the over.

Amanjot to bowl right-arm medium pace. SIX!!! After four dots, Nilakshi decides to go big and gets the connection right as the ball sails over deep mid wicket.

Left-arm spinner Gayakwad to bowl her first over. Two singles off the first two balls. Three off the over.

Titas Sadhu to bowl a third over on the trot. Nilakshi picks up a single off the third ball to hand over the strike to Hasini.

Only one from that over of Sadhu.

Vastrakar to finish the powerplay. Sharp fielding from Amanjot to stop the ball go past her down to third man region. Appeal for run out but Nilakshi is safely inside the crease to complete the single.

FOUR!!! Nilakshi goes for the big pull, top edge and the ball goes over Richa’s head for a boundary. FOUR!! She does get better contact this time and pulls it for another four, this one over mid wicket. FOUR!!!! And another boundary, albeit a lucky one for Nilakshi as the ball bounces awkwardly, hits the handle of her bat and evades everyone.

Titas back for her second over. WICKET!!! Slower one from Titas, Chamari looks to hit one over the covers but the shot does not have enough power in it. Deepti takes a good catch and Titas Sadhu gets her third wicket. Chamari goes for 12.

DROPPED!!! Amanjot fails to take a sharp one at point and Nilakshi survives to take a single. First runs off Sadhu’s bowling in this match.

Vastrakar to bowl her second. Only one leg bye from that over.

Pace from both ends now as Titas Sadhu comes into the attack. WICKET! And she gets success straight away as Sanjeewani looks to hit big, only to see the ball take the top edge of her bat before Harmanpreet completes a simple catch at mid off.

Gunaratne is the new batter. WICKET!!! Her stay only lasts for three balls as one keeps low to hit her off stump.

Hasini is the new batter in.

Double-wicket maiden for Titas.

Vastrakar into the attack. Sanjeewani plays two dots. The third ball bounces sharply and hits her around the helmet. Concussion protocol to be followed.

Sanjeewani gets off strike with a single down the leg side.

Vastrakar concedes only one run in her first over.

Deepti Sharma to bowl the first over. SIX!!! Chamari sweeps one big and it goes all the way over cow corner. FOUR!!! Chamari with a late cut to finish the over. Perfect start to the chase for Sri Lanka.

Prabodani to bowl the final over. FOUR! Jemimah goes for the sweep, ball takes the top edge and goes over short fine leg for four.

WICKET! However, Prabodani deceives Jemimah with a slower ball and gets her caught by Gunaratne at cover. Jemimah departs for 42.

Amanjot joins Deepti. Starts with a dot ball. Wide - Prabodani sprays one down the leg side. Amanjot chips it over the bowler’s head for a single.

WICKET! Last ball of the innings, Deepti swings and misses but runs for a bye anyway. Sanjeewani removes the bails before a diving Amanjot could make it to the crease.

India finishes at 116/7. Excellent work from Sri Lanka to tightent the screws in the second half of the innings.

Ranasinghe to bowl the penultimate over of the innings. Vastrakar manages to hand the strike back to Jemimah with a single off the second ball. Jemimah picks one.

WICKET! Vastrakar goes for the big hit but only finds the hands of Gunaratne who runs in from deep midwicket to take a brilliant catch. Vastrakar goes for 2.

Deepti Sharma, the new batter, takes a single off the second last ball. Jemimah to keep strike after taking a single off the final ball.

Prabodani back into the attack for her second over. Just two runs off the first four balls.

WICKET! Harmanpreet goes for a drive but is beaten by the slow ball which takes the outside edge of her bat and Sanjeewani dives to complete a brilliant catch. Harmanpreet goes for 2.

Pooja Vastrakar, the new batter, starts off with a single.

Ranaweera to finish her quota. Concedes two singles off the first two balls. WICKET!!! Big turn, Ghosh looks to sweep, Sri Lankan keeper Sanjeewani appeals for caught behind and the umpire agrees. Richa departs for 9.

Harmanpreet is the next batter.

Jemimah beaten by sharp turn but manages to drag her leg back into the crease just in time before Sanjeewani takes the bails off.

Dot ball from Ranaweera to finish her quota.

Sugandika to Jemimah. The Indian batter moves to 34 with a single after pulling one to deep mid wicket. This one keeps low but Richa somehow gets some bat on it as she plays it down to short fine leg for a single.

SIX! Short ball from Sugandika, Richa hits it towards deep mid wicket where the fielder tries to catch it but ends up pushing the ball over the boundary. Sugandika follows that ball with a wide. Richa picks a single off the final ball to bring up India’s 100.

Ranaweera to bowl her third over. Jemimah tucks one into the off side and runs for a single. Mandhana picks one after driving the ball to long off. Ranaweera bowls one down the leg side, Jemimah gets some bat on it and manages to pick another single.

WICKET!! Mandhana goes for a big sweep, gets the top edge and Prabodani runs in from short fine leg to take the catch. Mandhana departs for 46.

In comes Richa Ghosh. Starts with a dot ball.

Jemimah skies one but it falls short off the fielder at long on and the Indian takes a single. Mandhana moves to 43 with a single off Priyadarshani’s second ball. Five off the over.

Mandhana faces Ranaweera. Picks a single as she plays one down to deep backward square leg. Jemimah takes one and hands the strike back to Mandhana. Mandhana looks to sweep one, gets a top edge but fortunately for her, it falls safely.

FOUR! Jemimah makes room and hits it over covers for a boundary. Follows it up with a single.

FOUR!!! Short one from Ranaweera, Mandhana pulls it for a boundary. 12 off the over.

Kaveesha starts with a dot ball. FOUR!!! Full toss from Kaveesha and Mandhana smashes it for a boundary between deep midwicket and deep backward square leg to move into the 30s. Mandhana follows that boundary with a double. Mandhana picks a singles off the final ball to move to 36 off 36.

Left-arm spin of Ranaweera introduced into the attack by Chamari. Mandhani sweeps one down to fine leg for a single. Jemimah drives one to wide long off for a single after two dots. Slightly short one from Ranaweera, Mandhana shifts to backfoot and pulls one to the leg side for a single. Jemimah looks to sweep the final delivery but ends up being beaten by spin.

Kaveesha into the attack. Just one over of pace from Sri Lanka so far. Three off the first five. FOUR! Jemimah manages to hit one past the fielder at cover for a boundary off the final ball.

Chamari bowls. FOUR! Lucky one for Jemimah as the ball takes an outside edge and beats the keeper. Jemimah plays one down to long on and takes a single. Smriti picks a single off the final delivery. Six off the over.

Ranasinghe to bowl her second over. FOUR! Tossed up, Jemimah gets down on one knee and hits it for four over mid-wicket. Jemimah times one to the cover region and the two Indian batters go for the single. Mandhana’s bat gets stuck in the pitch and she falls down awkwardly. Brief interruption in the match as the team physio comes to check if there is anything serious. Mandhana is good to continue.

Four dot balls from Ranasinghe to finish the over.

Mandhana on strike to face Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu. A single off the second ball for the Indian opener who moves to 21. Jemimah sweeps one to the leg side to give the strike back to Mandhana. Mandhana drives one through the covers, the shot does not have enough power in it, but the left-hander manages to pick a couple. Two singles off the last two balls.

Kumari back for her second over. FOUR! She bowls one down the leg side and Mandhana has no problem in sweeping it past the short fine leg for a four. A wide from Kumari on the fifth ball. SIX! Mandhana comes down the pitch and hits one over mid off for a six. First of the match. Mandhana finishes the over with a single in the leg side to end the powerplay.

Priyadarshini sprays one wide and Jemimah plays it past the fielder at point to pick up a couple off the first ball. Mandhana back on strike after Jemimah plays one down to long on and takes a single. Another single, Mandhana knocks one to the leg side and charges down to the other end. Two singles off the last two balls as well. Six off the over.

Fourth over. And yet again a new bowler - Sugandika Kumar. Three singles off the first three bowls. WICKET! Shafali gets impatient and tries to loft one into the leg side, only to miss it and get stumped for 9 off 15. Jemimah is the new batter in and she hits a single off the final ball.

The conditions were quite hot a couple of minutes ago. Now, it has become a bit cloudy.

Priyadarshani to bowl the third over. Tidy start - four dots. Maiden over. Brilliant from Priyadarshani.

Prabodhani to bowl the second over. Puts one on the pads and Shafali plays it to the leg side for a couple. Another one on the pads and this time, Shafali clips it for four past midwicket. Shafali takes a single off the last ball to keep the strike.

Smriti Mandhana opens the score with a single after a grounded shot down to long off. Ranasinghe bowls a bit wide on the penultimate delivery and Mandhana drives it through the covers for a boundary. Six off the first over.

The match is being conducted on a pitch which has not been used so far.

First up, it will be the Sri Lankan national anthem followed by the Indian national anthem.

Athapaththu (c), Dasanayaka, Gunarathne, Prabodani, Anushka, Kaluwa Dewa, Ranasinghe, Ranaweera, Nilakshi, Priyadarshani, Kaveesha, Madushika

Harmanpreet (c), Shafali, Amanjot, Gayakwad, Ghosh, Mandhana, Jemimah, Titas, Deepti, Devika, Vastrakar

Kanika Ahuja has made way for Harmanpreet.

India has won the toss and elected to bat first. Harmanpreet Kaur is back as the captain of the team.

Like India, Sri Lanka too began its run directly from the quarterfinals. In a match reduced to 15 overs, Sri Lanka restricted Thailand to 78/7 before chasing the target in 10.5 overs with eight wickets in hand.

In the semifinals, Sri Lanka defeated two-time gold medallist Pakistan. Pakistan could only score 75/9. In reply, Sri Lanka chased the target in 16.3 overs with six wickets remaining.

India, top-seeded team, began its campaign directly from the quarterfinals where it faced Malaysia. India smashed 173 in the first innings before rain interrupted the match two balls into Malaysia’s chase. The tie could not be completed and India progressed to the semifinals on account of being the higher-seeded team.

In the semifinals, India dismissed Bangladesh for just 51 before chasing it in just 8.2 overs.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur is eligible to play in the final today after serving her two-match suspension for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during a limited-overs series in Bangladesh earlier this year.

Bangladesh restricted Pakistan to 64/9 before chasing the target with five wickets and 10 balls to spare to win the bronze medal. The match was a repeat of the Asian games finals (2010 and 2014) where Pakistan had won the gold both times.

INDIA

Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wicket-keeper), Anusha Bareddy.

SRI LANKA

Chamari Athapaththu(c), Anushka Sanjeewani(w), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Inoka Ranaweera, Sugandika Kumari, Udeshika Prabodhani, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Achini Kulasuriya, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Imesha Dulani, Kaushani Nuthyangana

The Asian Games 2023 women’s cricket gold medal match between India and Sri Lanka will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network andstreamed live on the SonyLiv app and website from 11:30AM IST.