Sri Lanka Clinches Maiden Asia Cup Title with Stellar Performances by Harshitha and Athapaththu
In a thrilling final at Dambulla, Sri Lanka secured their first-ever Asia Cup title by defeating the seven-time champions India with a commanding eight-wicket victory. Harshitha Samarawickrama and skipper Chamari Athapaththu led the charge with brilliant half-centuries, sealing a memorable win for Sri Lanka.
Match Overview
India Innings: Strong Start but Crucial Strikes by Sri Lanka
Powerplay (44/0): India began cautiously, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma adding valuable runs. Mandhana, after being dropped early, unleashed a series of boundaries to help India to a decent start.
Middle Overs (70/3): Mandhana’s steady batting kept India’s innings on track despite losing Shafali and Uma Chetry in quick succession. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s departure saw Mandhana taking more responsibility, reaching her half-century.
Death Overs (51/3): Richa Ghosh’s explosive cameo of 30 runs off 14 balls, including a crucial 18-run penultimate over, helped India post a challenging total of 165/6.
Sri Lanka Innings: Athapaththu and Harshitha’s Stellar Show
Powerplay (44/1): Chamari Athapaththu set the tone with a flurry of boundaries, despite an early loss of partner. Her aggressive approach saw Sri Lanka matching India’s powerplay score.
Middle Overs (79/1): Athapaththu and Harshitha built a strong partnership, with Athapaththu reaching a quick fifty. Deepti Sharma provided a breakthrough by dismissing Athapaththu, but Harshitha continued the momentum.
Death Overs (44/0): Harshitha and Kavisha Dilhari took charge, with Harshitha reaching her fifty and hitting crucial boundaries. Dilhari sealed the win with a powerful six, completing the chase in 18.4 overs.
Brief Scores:
- India: 165/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 60, Richa Ghosh 30; Kavisha Dilhari 2-36)
- Sri Lanka: 167/2 in 18.4 overs (Harshitha Samarawickrama 69*, Chamari Athapaththu 61; Deepti Sharma 1-30)
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