India defeat Bangladesh by ۱۱۴ runs to book women’s cricket final against Sri Lanka, who beat Pakistan by eight wickets.
Published On ۲۰ Sep ۲۰۲۶
Smriti Mandhana has become the highest run-scorer in women’s T۲۰ international cricket, guiding India to a crushing win over Bangladesh in an Asian Games semifinal in Japan.
The recently crowned Asian champions defeated Bangladesh by ۱۱۴ runs on Sunday as Mandhana’s fellow opener Shafali Verma hit her maiden T۲۰ hundred at the Korogi Athletic Park ground in Nagoya.
Mandhana scored ۳۷ off ۱۹ balls with five fours and two sixes in her side’s ۱۹۵-۴ in ۲۰ overs and, in the process, went past New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates’s ۴,۷۵۸ runs at the top of the all-time list to stand on ۴,۷۸۸ runs from ۱۷۱ innings.
Earlier this month, Mandhana reached the top of overall run-scoring charts in women’s international cricket after smashing a record-breaking ۱۲۴ off ۶۴ balls in the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai.
Mandhana overtook former India captain Mithali Raj, who had been the top international scorer with ۱۰,۸۶۸ international runs, during her match-winning innings against Hong Kong on Thursday.
Verma was the star on the day for India in the Asian Games semifinal, scoring ۱۰۰ not out off ۴۹ balls with three fours and nine sixes. She reached her hundred off the final ball of the ۲۰-over innings and was clearly emotional as she took off her helmet and raised her bat in celebration towards her applauding teammates on the boundary.
India then restricted Bangladesh to ۸۱ in ۱۵.۴ overs.
The ۵۰-over world champions will meet Sri Lanka on Tuesday in the gold medal match, which will be a replay of the Asia Cup final from last Sunday, when India won a record-extending eighth title.
Sri Lanka advanced to the final after their captain Chamari Athapaththu led them to an easy eight-wicket win over Pakistan with more than two overs to spare.
The island nation hunted down the ۱۷۸-run target with ۱۳ balls to spare as Athapaththu led the scoring with ۸۳ not out.
Earlier, Pakistan were asked to bat first and, with half-centuries from Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar, they posted a total of ۱۷۷-۴ in ۲۰ overs.
Zafar, who hit the joint third-fastest fifty for Pakistan in WT۲۰Is off ۲۷ balls, shared a record stand of ۱۱۵ with Zulfiqar, which is the second-highest in the format for Pakistan and the highest for the third wicket.
Pakistan were able to score ۲۷ runs off the last three overs as their all-rounder captain Fatima Sana hit two fours and one six in her ۱۲-ball ۲۰.
In reply, Sana broke Sri Lanka’s ۳۶-run opening stand in the fifth over, bowling out Imesha Dulani for ۲۷. Athapaththu, who hit seven fours and six sixes in her ۵۰-ball knock, joined forces with Hasini Perera (۴۲) to form a match-winning ۹۵-run partnership off ۵۶ balls.
Nashra Sundhu provided Pakistan the breakthrough in the ۱۴th over, with Sri Lanka requiring another ۴۷ runs off the last six overs, but Athapaththu’s quickfire stand of ۴۷ off ۲۳ balls with Harshitha Samrawickrama (۱۷ not out) took their team over the line with ۱۳ balls to spare.
Pakistan will play Bangladesh for the bronze medal, also on Tuesday.
