Indian Women’s Cricket Team Clinches Historic Gold Medal in Asian Games
In a thrilling final match at the ongoing Hangzhou Asian Games, the Indian women’s cricket team achieved a historic feat by winning the gold medal, defeating Sri Lanka by 19 runs. This victory marked India’s first gold medal in cricket at the Asian Games.
Opting to bat first, the Indian team faced early setbacks but managed to post a total of 116/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues played crucial roles, scoring 46 and 42 runs, respectively. However, the Sri Lankan bowlers, including Udeshika Prabodhani, claimed wickets to restrict India.
In pursuit of 117 runs, Sri Lanka encountered challenges as Indian medium-pacer Titas Sandhu removed key players early on, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 14/3 in just over four overs. Despite some resistance from Hasini Perera and Nilakshi de Silva, the Indian spin duo of Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya tightened their grip on the game.
Sri Lanka fought bravely but ultimately fell short, managing to reach 97/8 in their 20 overs. India’s bowling was led by Titas Sandhu with impressive figures of 3/6, supported by Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Deepti Sharma, and Devika Vaidya, who each contributed with crucial wickets.
With this historic win, India secured the gold medal, while Sri Lanka settled for the silver. Meanwhile, Bangladesh clinched the bronze medal by defeating Pakistan.
In summary, the Indian women’s cricket team’s remarkable performance and victory marked a significant milestone in their Asian Games journey, capturing the gold medal and making the nation proud.
