India clinch Asian Games women’s cricket gold as Mandhana, Shafali and Ghosh fire

Smriti Mandhana struck seven sixes during her innings•AFP/Getty Images

Mandhana’s Commanding Performance

The contest echoed the earlier Dubai encounter, with Mandhana at her most menacing. She opened with two boundaries off Sugandika Kumari in the first over before lofting three sixes to different sectors. First, she played back to a short ball outside off and cleared mid‑on with ease. Next, Sugandika served a fuller ball on the pads, which Mandhana flicked over square leg for another six. In the following over, she advanced down the track and drove Mithali Ayodhya over cover for her third six of the innings.

Shafali then entered the fray, dispatching Athapaththu for two sixes — first pulling a short ball over deep mid‑wicket, then lofting a floated delivery over mid‑off. Mandhana completed the over with a flat‑bat shot just beyond long‑on for another six, frustrating Athapaththu. At that stage India were scoring above ten runs an over, reaching 67 without loss at the close of the powerplay.

Boundaries flowed regularly, with Mandhana the more aggressive partner. She reached her fifty off just 30 balls in the tenth over, while Shafali survived a stumping chance in the same over but could not capitalize, top‑edging a drive to Kawya Kavindi at short third‑man off Chamudi Praboda for 48 from 29 deliveries.

Richa Ghosh remained unbeaten on 49 from 22 balls at number four•AFP/Getty Images

Ghosh Ignites the Chase

Sri Lanka momentarily slowed the scoring, conceding only a single boundary in 19 balls, but the respite was brief. Harmanpreet Kaur and Mandhana began locating gaps again, although the Indian captain’s innings ended after 17 balls for 19.

Ghosh arrived at number four and revived the momentum, picking up two boundaries off Praboda while Mandhana maintained her aggression at the other end. Mandhana added two further sixes before losing her wicket, miscuing a length ball from Sugandika in an attempt to clear deep backward square leg.

With 200 in sight, Ghosh assumed control, harvesting 19 runs — two fours and a six — off Kavindi’s over before striking two more sixes against Ayodhya in the following over. She first pulled a half‑tracker over deep mid‑wicket, then lofted a full delivery over cow‑corner. Ayodhya also conceded five wides in the spell. Ghosh sealed the innings with another boundary, taking India to 216.

Shafali Verma claimed the opening pair of wickets•Getty Images

India’s Spin Surge to Victory

Although Sri Lanka faced a formidable target, India’s fielding got off to a shaky start. After Shreyanka Patil spilled a routine catch off Imesha Dulani at backward point in the opening over, Athapaththu found her rhythm, striking two boundaries off Nandani Sharma in the second over.

Harmanpreet then called upon India’s regular part‑time spinner, Shafali, who made an immediate impact by flighting Dulani into the air before Ghosh effected the stumping. Shafali claimed her second wicket in the following over, a looping delivery that Hasini Perera sliced toward cover point.

Sri Lanka managed occasional boundaries against the quicker bowlers but struggled to maintain the required run rate, reaching 41 for 2 at the close of the powerplay. India then switched to spin for the remainder of the innings, and Sri Lanka’s challenge fell apart.

Deepti Sharma extinguished Sri Lanka’s faint hopes when Athapaththu miscued to long‑off in the seventh over. Patil then trapped Harshitha Samarawickrama leg‑before‑wicket for a duck, followed by N. Shree Charani’s dismissal of Hansima Karunaratne for a single after another miscued slog.

Deepti struck again as Kavisha Dilhari lofted a drive straight back to her, leaving Sri Lanka six wickets down and in serious jeopardy.

India Cruise to Gold

With the outcome virtually settled, India kept picking up wickets at regular intervals as Sri Lanka offered little resistance, aside from a six and a four from Kaushini Nuthyanganam, whose dismissal ended the innings in the 16th over. Deepti finished with 3 for 6, while Shafali, Shree Charani and Patil each claimed two wickets.

Source link