Women’s Asia Cup 2024: Sri Lanka’s Historic Victory in Dambulla

The Women’s Asia Cup 2024 delivered an exhilarating final on July 28th, 2024, at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. Sri Lanka Women emerged victorious against India Women, winning by 8 wickets and securing their first-ever Asia Cup title. The inspiring final saw India post a respectable 165/6 in their 20 overs, only for Sri Lanka to chase it down with 8 balls to spare.

India’s Strong Start by Smriti Mandhana

India batted first and laid a solid foundation with a half-century from Smriti Mandhana. She was well-supported by Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, who played crucial cameos, enabling India to post a challenging total of 165 runs. Despite a strong start, India’s innings was marked by pressure from Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling attack, which kept the Indian batters in check. With spinners and pacers striking in intervals, India struggled to break free and capitalize on their middle-order depth.

Sri Lanka’s Steady Chase

Sri Lanka’s chase started cautiously, losing an early wicket to India’s pace attack. However, Chamari Athapaththu, the captain, rose to the occasion with a sublime knock. Her partnership with Harshitha Samarawickrama was the backbone of Sri Lanka’s innings. Athapaththu’s fluent stroke play kept Sri Lanka in the hunt, while Samarawickrama played a supportive role. Together, they anchored the innings and neutralized India’s bowling threats. The turning point came in the 16th over when Sri Lanka shifted gears. With just 8 runs required off 12 balls, the packed stadium in Dambulla erupted as Kavisha Dilhari sealed the victory with a six off Pooja Vastrakar.

Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu Shine

Harshitha Samarawickrama was named the Player of the Match for her composed 66 off 48 balls. Her steady hand at the crease and ability to find boundaries at crucial moments helped Sri Lanka maintain their momentum. However, it was Chamari Athapaththu, the captain, who was declared Player of the Series. Her aggressive batting throughout the tournament and inspirational leadership were key factors in Sri Lanka’s success.

Athapaththu’s emotions were evident as she looked up to the heavens in tears of joy. Having shouldered Sri Lanka’s cricketing aspirations for years, this victory was a personal triumph for her. Sri Lanka’s lap of honor around the stadium, thanking the home crowd for their support, was a sight to behold, marking a new chapter in the country’s cricketing history.

India’s Fightback

Despite the loss, India showed great fight throughout the match. Their bowlers, particularly Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma, tried to keep the game in balance, but Sri Lanka’s calculated chase proved too strong. India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur made some key changes in the field in an attempt to disrupt Sri Lanka’s momentum, but the sheer determination of Athapaththu and Samarawickrama was too much for India to contain.

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