SRINAGAR: India won their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the 2026 final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
India set Sri Lanka a target of 184 after Shafali Verma scored 68 off 39 balls and Smriti Mandhana made 59 off 39. Sri Lanka were then dismissed for 111 in 20 overs, with N. Shree Charani taking four wickets and Deepti Sharma claiming three.
Deepti produced a decisive spell in the 10th over, removing Vishmi Gunaratne for 20 off 22 balls before dismissing Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu for 36 off 32.
Shafali also contributed with the ball, taking the wicket of Hasini Perera in the 17th over.
The victory marked India’s fourth Asia Cup triumph since the tournament adopted the T20 format in 2012. Sri Lanka had defeated India in the 2024 final to claim their first title.
Mandhana’s 59 left her eight runs short of New Zealand’s Suzie Bates’ record for the most runs in women’s T20 internationals.
India will now travel to Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, for the Asian Games, where the team will enter the women’s competition at the quarter-final stage.
