The Indian women's cricket team secured a landmark victory by clinching the gold medal at the Asian Games 2023, defeating Sri Lanka by a margin of 19 runs. This triumphant feat marked India's second gold in this edition of the Asian Games, further embellishing their exemplary performance in the tournament.
The final was a spectacle from the outset. Winning the toss, India's skipper Harmanpreet Kaur chose to put runs on the board. However, the start wasn't promising as the opener Shafali Varma exited early, becoming the first scalp for Sri Lanka's Sugandika Kumari. But India's batting prowess was soon on display, with Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues orchestrating a vital 73-run partnership.
While Mandhana played an assertive knock, she narrowly missed her 23rd T20I half-century, falling prey to Inoka Ranaweera after crafting a 46-run innings studded with five boundaries and a six. Rodrigues contributed a solid 42 from 40 balls, but her efforts weren't adequately supported by the middle order. With the wickets of Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet, Pooja Vastrakar, and Amanjot Kaur falling in quick succession, India's score saw a slump. However, they managed to post a competitive total of 116/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Sri Lanka's bowling attack, spearheaded by Udeshika Prabodhani, Kumari, and Ranaweera (who all claimed two wickets each), played a significant role in restricting India's score.
The Sri Lankan chase commenced on a shaky note. India's Titas Sadhu wreaked havoc with the new ball, dismissing openers Chamari Athapaththu and Anushka Sanjeewani in a jiffy, and then made quick work of Vishmi Gunaratne. This left Sri Lanka in a dicey position at 14/3 in just 4.2 overs.
But the Sri Lankan middle-order attempted a fightback. Hasini Perera and Nilakshi de Silva stitched together a crucial 36-run partnership. Yet, just when it seemed the match might tilt in Sri Lanka's favor, Perera was outfoxed by Rajeshwari Gayakwad after scoring a brisk 25. De Silva couldn't hold fort for long either, departing for 23 runs off Vastrakar's bowling. The remaining overs witnessed some tight bowling from India, especially from Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya, ensuring Sri Lanka could only muster 97/8 in 20 overs.
Sadhu's spell was the standout, as she ended with figures of 3/6 in her four overs. With this resounding victory, the Indian women's cricket team added another feather to their cap by clinching their second gold medal at the Asian Games 2023.
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