Women's Asia Cup T20 2022 Final: India Women cruise to 8-wicket triumph after terrific bowling restricts Sri Lanka Women to 65/9

India Women thumped Sri Lanka Women by eight wickets in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2022 final at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, October 15. In a one-sided summit clash, India Women came up with a terrific bowling performance to restrict Sri Lanka Women to a paltry 65/9.

Bowling first after losing the toss, Renuka Singh (3/5), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (2/16) and Sneh Rana (2/13) throttled the Sri Lankans in an absolutely dominating display. Smriti Mandhana then guided the small chase of 66 with a blazing 51* off only 25 balls. India Women romped home in 8.3 overs.

Sri Lanka Women’s innings got off to a horror start as Chamari Athapaththu (six) was run out in the third over following a terrible mix-up with Anushka Sanjeewani. Athapaththu placed a length ball from Deepti Sharma towards short third and took off. However, both batters ended up in the middle of the pitch. A good throw from Renuka sent the Sri Lankan captain packing.

Harshitha Samarawickrama (one) then edged a length ball outside off from Renuka to the keeper. On the very next ball, Sanjeewani too was run out for two following another mix-up. Nilakshi de Silva tucked a length delivery to the right of Pooja Vastrakar at short midwicket. A good throw was enough to find a tentative Sanjeewani short of her crease.

India Women completed a team hat-trick when Hasini Perera (0) chipped a full ball outside off towards cover and was easily caught. Sri Lanka Women were in a disastrous position at 10/4 after four overs. They lost half their side when Renuka knocked over Kavisha Dilhari for one.

Gayakwad joined in the wicket-taking act when Nilakshi (six) dragged a delivery that kept a bit low back onto the stumps. Malsha Shehani (0) then chipped a simple return catch to Rana as Sri Lanka Women crumbled to 25/7. The carnage continued as Oshadi Ranasinghe (13) was bowled by Gayakwad following her failed attempt to whack the left-arm spinner.

Sri Lanka Women were in danger of being bowled out much before 20 overs when Rana knocked over Sugandika Kumari for six. However, an unbroken last-wicket stand of 22 between Inoka Ranaweera (18*) and Achini Kulasuriya (six*) took the batting side to 65/9.

Ranaweera hit two fours off Shafali Verma in the last over to give Sri Lanka Women something to cheer about.

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Mandhana stars in India Women’s thrashing of Sri Lanka Women

Chasing 66, India Women lost Shafali for five and Jemimah Rodrigues for two. The former was stumped as he attempted to take on Ranaweera, but was beaten in flight. Rodrigues then tried a needless slog against Dilhari and was bowled.

Mandhana, however, ensured there was no serious hiccup for her team in the Asia Cup final. She slammed Ranasinghe for a maximum over extra cover in the third over. At the start of the next over, she lofted Ranaweera over long-on.

At the start of the seventh over, Mandhana helped herself to consecutive fours off Dilhari’s bowling. The winning runs came in the ninth over via two consecutive big hits from the experienced opener.

After whacking Ranasinghe for a four over mid-on, she dispatched the next ball over wide long-on for a maximum to bring up her fifty and also the team's victory. With the clinical win, India Women lifted the Asia Cup for the seventh time.