Sri Lanka secured their maiden Women's T20 Asia Cup victory by defeating India 165 for 6 (Mandhana 60, Ghosh 30, Dilhari 2-36) by eight wickets. The victory was attributed to the all-round heroics of top order batters Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama, as well as Kavisha Dilhari's all-round performance.
Sri Lanka's captain, Smriti Mandhana, contributed to the victory with her 60 runs and quickfire knocks from Richa Ghosh and Jemimah Rodrigues. However, India's total of 165 for 6 proved inadequate, as they struggled against left-arm spinners. Samarawickrama, who has only hit four half-centuries in 61 matches prior, played a crucial role in Sri Lanka's victory.
In the 12th over, Deepti bowled Athapaththu, who scored 16 runs off her first 27 balls. Samarawickrama then took her side through, scoring 29 off her first 27 balls. In the final over, Dilhari, a strong bottom-handed player, chipped in with an unbeaten 30 off 16 and sealed the victory with a six in the penultimate over. The pair scored an unbeaten 73 off 40 balls for the third wicket in a match-changing performance.
India faced misfields, two dropped catches, and tactical challenges as the game slipped away. Harmanpreet dropped a simple catch in the 15th over when Samarawickrama was on 45. Mandhana brought her experience to the fore in the final, dominating the first five overs of the powerplay. India ended the powerplay on 44 for 0 after hitting three fours. However, she was dropped by Samarawickrama at cover on 10 off 10 in the fifth over.
Mandhana also made a life-saving catch off Dilhari's bowling, but the ball bounced twice before reaching the batter, so it was declared a no-ball. Athapaththu made a crucial catch off Dilhari's bowling to dismiss the India opener.
Dilhari, who has been crucial to Sri Lanka's recent success, had only gone wicketless in three of her 16 T20Is this year. Her final over against Ghosh was bittersweet, with Ghosh muscling away two fours and a six to take India past 150. Dilhari conceded 18 runs in her final over, while Ghosh finished on a 14-ball 30.
In conclusion, Sri Lanka's women's T20 Asia Cup victory was a testament to their resilience and determination. Their team's performance in the tournament showcases their resilience and determination, and their future success in the T20 World Cup.