India women defeated Sri Lanka women by 19 runs to bag the gold medal in the Asian Games while Sri Lanka Women had to settle for the silver.

Sri Lanka women could only score 97-8 in the chase of 117. For Sri Lanka to chase down the target, they needed a special innings from captain Chamari Attapattu but the batter was out for 12.

Hasini Perera (25) played a couple of crisp shots and revived the chase with a 36-run partnership with Nilakshi de Silva (23) but the damage was already done.

India women won the toss and opted to bat on a sluggish pitch. Apart from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 46 and 42 respectively, none of the batters were able to resist the Sri Lanka batting.

India lost Shafali Varma early but Mandhana and Rodrigues stabilised the innings with a 73-run partnership. India were going at 6 till the 15th over and was set to go berserk in the final five overs.

However, both Mandhana and Rodrigues fell in quick succession and India suffered a huge collapse, being reduced to 116-7 in 20 overs.

This is India’s second gold in Asian games so far. Earlier, the men’s 10m air rifle team, consisting of Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Divyansh Singh Panwar, bagged gold for India.

India so far has bagged 11 medals, including 2 Golds, 3 Silvers and 6 Bronze.

Meanwhile, this is Sri Lanka’s first medal in 2023 Asian Games being held in Hangzhou, China.

(Excerpts : Agencies)

Cricketer Sachithra Senanayake, who was arrested and remanded on charges of match-fixing, was ordered to be released on bail today.

The Colombo Chief Magistrate said that the suspect would be released on bail since he has not influenced the witnesses during the investigation.

However, the court previously issued an order prohibiting the suspect from travelling abroad.

Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan in the Asian Games 2023 women’s cricket event semi-final to face India in the gold medal match tomorrow (25). 

Earlier in the day, the Indian Women took Bangladesh with a nine-wicket margin to clinch the spot in the final.

In the second semi-final, the Sri Lankan women won the toss and invited Pakistan to bat first. 

Justifying this decision, Inoshi Priyadharshani gave an early breakthrough after dismissing Sidra Ameen in the third over. The dismissal triggered a batting crisis for the Pakistanis as no batter could get going and manage a score over 16. 

Further, Udeshika Prabodhani’s three-wicket haul helped Sri Lanka restrict Pakistan to 75-9 in 20 overs to set up a comfortable chase. 

Despite losing early wickets, steady knocks by Harshitha Samarawickrama and Nilakshi de Silva carried the Sri Lankans over the finish line to register a six-wicket win and qualify for the final. 

In the gold medal match, Sri Lanka and India will lock horns at the Pingfeng Campus Cricket Field, Hangzhou on September 25. 

Pakistan will lock horns against Bangladesh in the 3rd Place Playoff game for the bronze medal.