NISSHIN, Japan: India won the Asian Games cricket gold on Tuesday, crushing Sri Lanka by 147 runs after scoring 216-3 and bowling their opponents out for 69.
The victory at Korogi Sports Park gave India their first gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games and helped them retain the women’s Twenty20 title they won at the previous Games.
Smriti Mandhana led India with 79 from 45 balls, hitting five fours and seven sixes. During the innings, she became the first woman to reach 11,000 international runs.
Mandhana and Shafali Verma added 99 for the opening wicket. Verma made 48 from 29 balls before Richa Ghosh struck an unbeaten 49 from 22 deliveries to lift India to 216-3.
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Sri Lanka never recovered after losing early wickets in the chase. Captain Chamari Athapaththu top-scored with 27 as India dismissed Sri Lanka for 69 in 15.4 overs.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised the opening pair for providing another strong start and said the team’s batters had taken responsibility throughout the tournament.
Read: Asian Games: Pakistan Women’s cricket team to play Bangladesh in final
Pakistan secured the bronze medal earlier Tuesday with a 31-run victory over Bangladesh at the same venue. Captain Fatima Sana scored 45 as Pakistan posted 145-8 before restricting Bangladesh to 114-7.
