Six-time champions India Women will lock horns with four-time runners-up Sri Lanka Women in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 on October 15 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh. The match is scheduled to commence at 1:00 PM IST.
India Women have been the most dominant side in the competition so far, winning five matches in the group stage while losing one. Their only loss came against Pakistan, who were ousted in the semis by Sri Lanka.
In the semis, India faced a surging Thailand side that qualified for the semis for the first time in their history. Nonetheless, India Women’s commanding 74-run win made it a one-sided contest.
Put to bat first, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side finished with 148/6 in their quota of 20 overs. Opener Shafali Verma continued her rich form with a 28-ball 42. Jemimah Rodrigues and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur scored 27 and 36 runs, respectively, to get their team to a defendable total.
In reply, the Thailand batters had no answers to India’s disciplined bowling. Deepti Sharma’s fine run continued with another three-wicket haul as the opposition skipper Naruemol Chaiwai and Nattaya Boochatham scored 21 runs each to spare their team’s blushes.
The other semi-final saw Pakistan Women square off against Sri Lanka Women where the latter emerged victorious by one run in a last-ball thriller.
Batting first, Sri Lanka Women’s duo Harshitha Madavi and Anushka Sanjeewani’s important knocks guided their team to an ordinary total of 122/6 as Nashra Sandhu’s 3/17 restricted the flow of runs.
Chasing 123, captain Bismah Maroof played the anchor role by scoring 42 off 41. However, they fell short by just a solitary run in the end and Sri Lanka Women sealed the final spot.
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women head-to-head in Women’s Asia Cup
India Women and Sri Lanka Women are the only two teams to have featured in every edition of the Women’s Asia Cup since the inception of the tournament.
The six-time champions, India, boast a fantastic head-to-head record in the Women's Asia Cup against Sri Lanka. The Chamari Athapaththu-led side has never won against India in the history of the tournament.
In 18 matches, India Women have won 17. The semi-final of the 2012 edition was abandoned without a ball being bowled. However, India Women progressed to the final owing to their better points tally in the group stage.
Hence, Team India is the favourite to clinch their record-extending seventh title.
Where to watch India Women vs Sri Lanka Women Women’s Asia Cup match live in India?
Live streaming of India vs Sri Lanka Women’s Asia Cup final will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.
The India Women vs Sri Lanka Women final will be telecast live on the Star Sports 2 and Star Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women probable starting XIs:
India Women: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Rajeshwari Gayakwad
Sri Lanka Women: Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Anushka Sanjeewani (wicket-keeper), Malsha Shehani, Oshadi Ranasinghe, Sugandika Kumari, Inoka Ranaweera, Achini Kulasuriya
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Featured photo: WILLIAM WEST / AFP
