Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final – India Beat Sri Lanka by 72 Runs to Win Record Eighth Title
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final produced a commanding performance from India Women as Harmanpreet Kaur’s side defeated Sri Lanka Women by 72 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on September 13, 2026.
India scored 183/5 in 20 overs before bowling Sri Lanka out for 111, completing an unbeaten campaign and claiming a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana laid the foundation with aggressive half-centuries before India’s spinners dominated Sri Lanka’s chase. The victory also gave India redemption after Sri Lanka had beaten them in the 2024 Asia Cup final. (icc)
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final – Match Details
| Match Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India Women vs Sri Lanka Women |
| Tournament | Women’s Asia Cup T20 2026 |
| Match | Final |
| Date | September 13, 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai |
| India Score | 183/5 in 20 overs |
| Sri Lanka Score | 111 all out in 20 overs |
| Result | India Women won by 72 runs |
| Champions | India Women |
| India’s Asia Cup Titles | 8 |
The tournament ran from August 28 to September 13, 2026, with Dubai hosting the knockout matches, including both semi-finals and the final.
India Women vs Sri Lanka Women Final: Match Summary
India chose to bat first and immediately put Sri Lanka under pressure.
Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana produced an attacking partnership that gave India control of the final. India reached 57/0 in the Powerplay and were already 98/0 after 10 overs.
Shafali was particularly aggressive. She completed her fifty from only 24 balls, which the ICC reported as the fastest half-century in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history.
Mandhana provided the perfect support at the other end, reaching her fifty from 35 deliveries.
The opening pair put together a huge century stand before Sri Lanka finally got their breakthrough during the 13th over.
India Women – 183/5
The major batting performances were:
- Shafali Verma – 68
- Smriti Mandhana – 59
- A strong late contribution helped India reach 183/5
- India scored 57 without loss during the Powerplay
Shafali finished with 68, while Mandhana made 59 from 39 balls.
India did lose wickets toward the end of the innings, but G Kamalini struck a six late in the innings to help push the total to an imposing 183/5.
Shafali Verma Shines on the Biggest Stage
One of the biggest stories of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final was Shafali Verma.
Known for her aggressive batting at the top of the order, Shafali attacked Sri Lanka from the beginning rather than allowing the bowlers to settle.
Her rapid 24-ball half-century set a new benchmark for the fastest fifty in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. She eventually scored 68 runs. (icc)
It was also an outstanding tournament overall for the Indian opener.
According to the ICC, Shafali finished the competition with:
236 runs from five innings and three half-centuries.
Her performance in the final was especially important because it gave India enough runs to allow their strong bowling attack to apply pressure throughout Sri Lanka’s chase.
Smriti Mandhana Scores Crucial 59
While Shafali attacked from one end, Smriti Mandhana played another superb innings at the other.
Mandhana brought up her fifty from 35 balls and eventually made 59 from 39 deliveries.
The combination of Mandhana’s placement and Shafali’s aggressive stroke play proved extremely difficult for Sri Lanka to control.
By the halfway stage of India’s innings, the score had already reached 98 without loss, putting India in an ideal position to launch during the second half.
Sri Lanka Chase 184 to Win
Sri Lanka needed 184 runs to successfully defend the title they had won in 2024.
Their chase, however, suffered an almost immediate setback.
Kranti Gaud dismissed Imesha Dulani during the opening over before Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunarathne attempted to rebuild the innings.
The pair added 58 runs for the second wicket, briefly providing Sri Lanka with hope.
Then India’s spinners took over.
Deepti Sharma Turns the Match
Deepti Sharma made a decisive intervention by removing captain Chamari Athapaththu.
Richa Ghosh completed the stumping, and just two deliveries later Deepti struck again to dismiss Vishmi Gunarathne.
Sri Lanka suddenly found themselves at 63/3 after 10 overs.
With the required scoring rate increasing rapidly, the defending champions were forced to attack India’s spinners.
That created further opportunities for India.
Sree Charani’s Four-Wicket Spell Destroys Sri Lanka
One of India’s standout bowlers in the final was Sree Charani.
She first dismissed Harshitha Samarawickrama with an excellent return catch before picking up further wickets as Sri Lanka’s innings collapsed.
Charani eventually finished with four wickets, playing a major role in shutting down Sri Lanka’s middle and lower order.
Shafali Verma also contributed with the ball by dismissing Hasini Perera, while Prema Rawat removed Mithali Ayodhya.
Deepti Sharma then took the final wicket, bowling Kaushini Nuthyangana as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 111.
Sri Lanka Women – 111 All Out
Sri Lanka never recovered after losing multiple wickets to India’s spin attack.
The final result was:
India Women: 183/5 (20 overs)
Sri Lanka Women: 111 all out (20 overs)
India won by 72 runs.
India Win Their Eighth Women’s Asia Cup Title
The victory took India’s Women’s Asia Cup championship count to a record eight titles.
It was also India’s 10th consecutive appearance in the Women’s Asia Cup final, demonstrating their extraordinary consistency in the continental tournament.
The 2026 victory carried additional significance because Sri Lanka had defeated India in the 2024 final in Dambulla.
Two years later, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team reversed that result convincingly in Dubai.
How India Reached the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final
India entered the title match after beating Bangladesh Women by 40 runs in the first semi-final.
India scored 149/6, with Shafali Verma making 64, before restricting Bangladesh to 109/7.
Sri Lanka reached the final after a much tighter semi-final against Pakistan.
Pakistan made 130/5, before Sri Lanka successfully chased the target with eight balls remaining, winning by four wickets.
That created another India vs Sri Lanka Women’s Asia Cup final, following their title clashes in both 2022 and 2024.
Top Performers in Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final
Shafali Verma
Shafali’s 68 was the defining batting performance of the final.
Her 24-ball fifty put Sri Lanka under enormous pressure and allowed India to dictate the tempo of the match.
Smriti Mandhana
Mandhana’s 59 complemented Shafali perfectly.
Rather than allowing the scoring rate to fall, she continued finding boundaries and rotating the strike.
Sree Charani
Charani delivered one of India’s most important bowling performances, collecting four wickets as Sri Lanka’s middle order collapsed.
Deepti Sharma
Deepti provided crucial breakthroughs and ultimately took the wicket that ended the match.
Why India Won the Final
India’s victory wasn’t built around only one part of the game.
The opening partnership created the platform, the lower order ensured India reached 183, and then the bowlers never allowed Sri Lanka to build sufficient momentum.
Most importantly, India’s spin attack struck whenever Sri Lanka attempted to accelerate.
Once Athapaththu and Gunarathne were dismissed in quick succession, the required rate became increasingly difficult for Sri Lanka to manage.
India ultimately converted that pressure into a comfortable 72-run victory.
India Finish Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Unbeaten
Another impressive aspect of India’s campaign was consistency.
The ICC confirmed that India completed the tournament unbeaten, culminating in their dominant performance in the final. (icc)
That makes the eighth championship even more significant as India did not need to recover from a defeat during their title run.
Post-Match Trophy Presentation
There was also an unusual development after the match.
India did not accept the Women’s Asia Cup trophy from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi during the scheduled presentation ceremony. The episode became a major post-match talking point alongside India’s victory.
The sporting result itself was unaffected: India were officially the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 champions after defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final FAQs
Who won the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final?
India Women won the final, defeating Sri Lanka Women by 72 runs.
What was the score in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final?
India scored 183/5, while Sri Lanka were bowled out for 111.
Where was the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final played?
The final was played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.
When was the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final?
India and Sri Lanka played the final on September 13, 2026.
How many runs did Shafali Verma score in the final?
Shafali Verma scored 68 runs and also registered the fastest fifty in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history, reaching the milestone in 24 balls.
How many runs did Smriti Mandhana score?
Smriti Mandhana scored 59 runs from 39 balls.
How many Women’s Asia Cup titles has India won?
The 2026 victory gave India a record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title.
Final Words
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final underlined India’s strength in Asian women’s cricket.
Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana’s outstanding opening performance gave India the perfect start before Sree Charani, Deepti Sharma and the rest of the bowling unit finished the job.
With a 183/5 to 111 victory over Sri Lanka, India won by 72 runs, completed an unbeaten campaign and became Women’s Asia Cup champions for a record eighth time.
For Harmanpreet Kaur and her team, the triumph was also the perfect response to their defeat against Sri Lanka in the 2024 final—and another major chapter in India’s increasingly successful era of women’s cricket.
