Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana power India to a record eighth Women’s Asia Cup title
Dubai: India reclaimed the Women’s Asia Cup title with a commanding 72-run victory over defending champions Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, completing an unbeaten campaign with their most dominant batting performance of the tournament.
Openers Shafali Verma struck 68 from 39 balls and Smriti Mandhana made 59 from the same number of deliveries as India posted 183 for five, their highest total of the competition and the highest score recorded in a Women’s Asia Cup final.
Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 111, with left-arm spinner Sree Charani taking four wickets and Deepti Sharma claiming three as India secured a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title,. Sharma also finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 14. Her performance also took her career tally to 40 wickets, extending her record as the most successful bowler in Women’s Asia Cup history.
Earlier, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat on a surface that proved far better for scoring than those used during much of the tournament.
Mandhana and Shafali immediately made the most of the conditions. Their 129-run opening partnership, completed in 12.5 overs, was the highest stand in the final of a women’s T20 tournament.
Shafali provided the early acceleration, taking on Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu and reaching her half-century from only 24 balls. It was the fastest fifty in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history, improving on Mandhana’s previous record of 25 balls, set in 2022.
India raced to 57 without loss in the powerplay and reached 98 at the halfway stage, leaving Sri Lanka searching for a way back into the contest.
Shafali’s innings included nine fours and two sixes before she was dismissed by Chamudi Praboda. Mandhana followed soon afterwards, run out following a mix-up with Harmanpreet, but the damage had already been done.
Sri Lanka recovered some control during the final five overs, restricting India to 43 runs during that period. However, a late unbeaten cameo of 15 from five balls by G Kamalini ensured India finished with a total that was always likely to test Sri Lanka.
In the post match press conference, Athapaththu admitted that her side had been slow to adjust to a surface that behaved differently from the pitches encountered earlier in the tournament.
“Compared to all the other games, this wicket was totally different,” she said. “We were not ready for this kind of wicket and that is why we struggled in the powerplay. India came with good plans and executed them, while we were unable to execute ours.”
Sri Lanka’s challenge was made harder by missed chances and extras during India’s innings. Athapaththu said those errors had added more than 30 runs to the target.
“In a final, 180 is not easy to chase,” she said. “We dropped catches and gave away extra runs, and those extra runs cost us. India scored more runs in the powerplay and, especially, Shafali and Smriti batted really well.”
Faced with a target of 184, Sri Lanka needed a quick start but instead lost early wickets and were unable to build the partnerships required for such a chase.
Athapaththu top-scored with 36, but India repeatedly changed the field and bowling plans against the Sri Lanka captain, preventing her from controlling the innings.
“They changed the field almost every ball when I was batting,” Athapaththu said. “They came with a very good plan against me. If you want to chase this kind of score, you need to find boundaries rather than just rotate the strike.”
Charani led India’s attack with four for 20, while Deepti continued her consistent tournament with another three wickets. Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed for 111 from the final ball of their 20 overs.
When asked by Dubai Diaries abour the consitent middle-order slide, India head coach Amol Muzumdar rejected suggestions that his side’s middle order remained a concern after the rapid start provided by the openers.
“There is no such thing as a middle-order collapse,” Muzumdar said. “We had an amazing opening partnership. Shafali and Smriti have been batting really well, and that is the nature of T20 cricket, you cannot have everyone scoring runs in every match.
“The opening partnership was really good and we finished the innings well. We do not have any concerns regarding the middle order.”
Muzumdar said India would continue working on their fielding, fitness and running between the wickets, despite completing the tournament without defeat.
“We do not get satisfied with any tournament,” he added. “Once one tournament is over, we start looking towards the next one. There is always scope for improvement.”
Athapaththu said Sri Lanka would take encouragement from reaching another final, particularly with several young players still gaining experience at international level.
She highlighted the contributions of Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika Silva and Kavisha Dilhari, while describing the emergence of young bowlers such as Chamudi Praboda as a positive sign.
“We did not play our best cricket today, but we played good cricket throughout the tournament,” Athapaththu said. “Our middle order batted really well and we have some very young bowlers with a bright future. They need more matches and more experience.”
Trophy presentation ends without India receiving silverware
India’s victory was followed by another trophy presentation dispute involving Asian Cricket Council chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The Indian players did not take the stage to receive the trophy from Naqvi, and the presentation ceremony ended without the champions being handed the silverware.
It was the second time an Indian national team had declined to accept an Asia Cup trophy from the ACC chairman. India’s men took the same position after winning the 2025 Asia Cup in Dubai.
Asked about the decision, Muzumdar said the team supported the position taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“That stand has been taken by the BCCI and we stand by it,” he said. “For us, this tournament is over. We are the champions and that is good enough. It was on the big screen that India are the champions of the Asia Cup 2026, and we are happy.”
India may have left the ground without the trophy in their hands, but there was no uncertainty over the result. A record opening partnership, the fastest fifty in the tournament’s history and a disciplined bowling display had already confirmed their place once again at the top of Asian women’s cricket.
