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Sri Lanka Triumphs in Women’s Asia Cup 2024
Sri Lanka emerged victorious in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, defeating India by eight wickets in the final held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. India’s journey to the final was marked by ease, having cruised through the group stage and the semi-final against Bangladesh. However, Sri Lanka posed a significant challenge. Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama played crucial roles, maintaining pressure on India throughout the high-stakes match and ultimately securing a memorable win for their team.
India’s Performace in Asia Cup Final
India, opting to bat first, set a competitive total of 165 for six. Smriti Mandhana, continuing her impressive performance from the Bangladesh match, scored 60 off 47 balls, hitting 10 fours. Her vital 44-run opening stand set a solid foundation for India. Despite the struggles of Uma Chetry and Harmanpreet Kaur in the middle order, Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh ensured the innings stayed on track. Rodrigues added 29 runs off 16 balls, while Richa chipped in with 30 off 14. Among the Sri Lankan bowlers, Kavisha Dilhari stood out with figures of 4-0-36-2, while Udeshika Prabodhani, Sachini Nisansala, and Chamari Athapaththu each claimed a wicket.
Athapaththu and Samarawickrama’s Match-Winning Partnership
Sri Lanka’s run-chase began on a shaky note with the early dismissal of Vishmi Gunaratne due to a run-out. However, Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama steadied the innings with a crucial 87-run partnership for the second wicket. Chamari Athapaththu, having accumulated over 300 runs in the tournament, reached her half-century in just 32 balls. Deepti Sharma provided a breakthrough for India by bowling Athapaththu around her legs for 61 off 43 balls. Despite this setback, Sri Lanka still required 72 runs from the last eight overs. Harshitha Samarawickrama’s unbeaten 69-run knock was pivotal in leading Sri Lanka to victory with eight balls to spare. Dilhari also contributed significantly, scoring an unbeaten 30 off 16 balls. This win not only secured the title for Sri Lanka but also ended their four-match losing streak against India in the Women’s Asia Cup finals. The only other time India did not win was in 2018, when they lost to Bangladesh in the final.
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