India beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs to reclaim Women’s Asia Cup

India reclaimed the Women’s Asia Cup with a 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in Dubai on Sunday, September 13. The Times of India’s match coverage confirmed that India made 183 for five from 20 overs before dismissing the defending champions for 111 on the final ball of their innings.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X2jw5VW5e4

Sree Charani returned four for 20, while Deepti Sharma finished with three for 19. Kranti Gaud struck in the opening over of Sri Lanka’s reply, and Deepti later removed both established batters in the 10th over. Prema Rawat and Shafali Verma also took a wicket each.

Deepti completed the result by bowling Kaushini Nuthyangana with the last delivery. The victory reversed the outcome of the 2024 final, when Sri Lanka had beaten India, and secured India’s eighth title in the competition.

India had arrived at the final unbeaten, with their bowling repeatedly setting up victories. According to the ICC’s reporting before the final, Deepti collected three wickets against Thailand, three against Hong Kong, China, two against Pakistan and three against Bangladesh. That gave her 11 wickets entering the title match, underlining the consistency she had already shown across the tournament rather than in a single knockout performance.

The route through the semi-finals included a 40-run win over Bangladesh. The ICC reported that India recovered from early batting difficulties to reach 149 for six, with late contributions helping lift the total. Bangladesh had chosen to field first after winning the toss. India’s spinners then restricted the chase, and Deepti took three for 26. Nandani Sharma closed that match with wickets from its final two deliveries, sending India into another continental final.

Sri Lanka had faced a closer contest to qualify. In the ICC’s account of their semi-final, Chamari Athapaththu’s side kept Pakistan to a modest score before completing the chase with eight balls remaining. That win gave the defending champions another opportunity against India, but Sunday’s final ended with a much wider margin and the title changing hands.