India Women take on Sri Lanka in Asian Games cricket final chasing gold
India's women's cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, face Sri Lanka in the Asian Games T20 final after Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first.
Final for gold
India's women's cricket team meets Sri Lanka on Tuesday in the final of the Asian Games T20 cricket tournament. According to The Times of India, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bat first.
Road to the final
India reached the final on the back of convincing wins over Japan and Bangladesh, entering the title clash as the stronger side. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, booked their spot after a tense chase against Pakistan, powered by a standout innings from captain Chamari Athapaththu, who scored 82 off 50 balls to guide her team home.
Recent head-to-head
The source notes that Harmanpreet Kaur's side already beat Sri Lanka earlier this month in the Asia Cup final, underlining India's current edge in the rivalry. While Sri Lanka have beaten India in the past, the gap between the two sides has widened in India's favour in recent years, and India go into the final with momentum.
What's at stake
Both India's women's and men's teams are chasing a top finish at these Games, and the women's team is now just one win away from a gold medal. A victory over Sri Lanka would further cement India's dominance in regional women's cricket.
Squads
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Gunalan Kamalini, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav. Sri Lanka: Imesha Dulani, Chamari Athapaththu (captain), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunaratne, Kaushani Nuthyangana (wicketkeeper), Mithali Ayodhya, Kawya Kavindi, Chamudi Praboda, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Nimasha Meepage, Sanjana Kavindi and Anushka Sanjeewani.
