India’s women’s cricket team has won the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final held in Dubai on September 13, 2026. This is India’s eighth Women’s Asia Cup title, making them the most successful team in the tournament’s history.
India vs Sri Lanka Final: Match Highlights
India’s women in blue put on a dominant all-round show in the final, backing up a big total with the bat with a ruthless bowling display to hand Sri Lanka a comprehensive defeat and reclaim the Asia Cup they’d lost to the same opponents back in 2024.
India Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana Set Up the Total
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first — and openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana made sure it paid off immediately. The pair went after the Sri Lankan bowlers from the first over, stitching together a 129-run opening stand, the highest opening partnership in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history.
Shafali Verma smashed 68 off just 39 balls, while Smriti Mandhana was close behind with 59 off 39 deliveries. Their blistering start meant India raced through the powerplay and never let up, eventually posting 183/5 in their 20 overs — a target well beyond Sri Lanka’s reach.
Shree Charani, Deepti Sharma Star as Sri Lanka Bowled Out for 111
Chasing 184 to win, Sri Lanka never really got going. India’s spinners choked the innings from the start, picking up wickets at regular intervals and giving the batters no breathing room.
Shree Charani was the standout performer, taking four wickets, while Deepti Sharma chipped in three of her own. Sri Lanka’s top scorer, Chamari Athapaththu, managed just 36 runs before the innings folded for 111 — handing India a 72-run win and the Asia Cup trophy.
India’s Eighth Asia Cup Title: What It Means
This win puts India firmly back on top of women’s cricket in Asia. It’s their eighth Asia Cup title overall and fourth in the T20 format, and it also avenges their loss to Sri Lanka in the 2024 final in Dambulla. India now lead Sri Lanka 6-1 in Asia Cup final meetings.
What stood out most was India’s consistency; the team went through the entire tournament unbeaten, with both bat and ball firing when it mattered.
Final Takeaway
When Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana click at the top of the order, India’s batting lineup becomes very hard to stop, and that’s exactly what happened in this final. Pair that with a spin attack capable of running through a chase, and it’s easy to see why India remains the team to beat in Asian women’s cricket.
For Indian cricket fans, it’s another trophy to celebrate and fresh proof that the squad’s depth, a mix of seasoned campaigners and rising stars, keeps getting stronger. With bigger assignments coming up, this Asia Cup win gives the team real momentum to build on.
