In an exhilarating showdown, the India Women’s cricket team secured a historic gold medal at the Asian Games 2023 by defending a total of 116 runs against Sri Lanka Women, winning the match by 19 runs.
Titas Sadhu paved the way for India’s success with a remarkable bowling performance, taking three wickets in just two overs and concluding her spell with extraordinary figures of 3/6 from four overs. Despite an early collapse, Sri Lanka Women were boosted by a 36-run partnership between Hasini Perera and Nilakshi de Silva. However, Rajeshwari Gayakwad’s crucial breakthrough ended their resistance.
India’s victory marked a significant milestone in the realm of cricket as they claimed their first-ever gold medal in the sport at the Asian Games. Despite facing challenges on a challenging pitch, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues displayed commendable resilience, forming a solid partnership of 73 runs for the second wicket.
The Indian team endured a batting collapse in the latter stages of their innings, losing six wickets for just 27 runs in the final five overs. However, their earlier partnerships and exceptional bowling secured a historic win, earning India a well-deserved gold medal in cricket at the Asian Games 2023.