Sri Lanka’s women play India for the Asian Games cricket gold medal at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin today, with the match due to start at 10.30 a.m. Sri Lanka time.
It is a rematch of the 2023 Asian Games final, and of a contest played only nine days ago: India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup final in Dubai on 13 September.
Both sides reached the final without difficulty. Sri Lanka beat Malaysia in the quarter-final and Pakistan by eight wickets in the semi-final, chasing 178 in 17.5 overs with captain Chamari Athapaththu unbeaten on 83 from 50 balls. India beat Japan and then Bangladesh by 114 runs, Shafali Verma making a maiden T20I century.
The head-to-head record is heavily against Sri Lanka. The teams have met 32 times in T20 internationals, India winning 26 and Sri Lanka five, with one no-result. Sri Lanka have lost their last seven matches against India and won once in their last 11 meetings.
Where the match may turn
Athapaththu remains Sri Lanka’s principal match-winner, but the top order has given her more support at this tournament — Hasini Perera made 42 from 26 balls against Pakistan and Kavisha Dilhari 44 not out from 27 against Malaysia, with Harshitha Samarawickrama contributing quick cameos in both games.
Any Sri Lankan route into the match likely runs through India’s middle order. Harmanpreet Kaur made 40 in the semi-final but has lacked fluency, while G Kamalini and Bharti Fulmali have returned modest numbers. Reaching them means first getting past Shafali Verma — who has scores of 64, 68, 40 not out and 100 not out in her last four T20Is — and Smriti Mandhana, with Richa Ghosh capable of accelerating late.
Sri Lanka must also handle India’s spinners Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani, and Nandani Sharma with the new ball. Should the final be washed out, the higher-seeded side — India — takes the gold.
