Women’s Asia Cup: Shafali, Smriti’s stunning opening act powers India to eighth title

At last, India got a batting beauty and made the most of it, thanks to their in-form openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. Continuing her blazing form, Shafali smashed 68 off 39, adding 129 in just 77 balls with fellow superstar and vice-captain Mandhana (59 off 39), who also stroked a half-century, as India defeated defending champions Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Women’s Asia Cup final to clinch a record eighth title at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Shree Charani snapped four wickets to hasten Sri Lanka’s downfall.In a murderous mood, Shafali took just 24 balls to reach her 21st fifty, erasing Mandhana’s 25-ball effort in 2022 as the fastest fifty in Women’s Asia Cup history. Mandhana reached her 36th T20I half century in 35 balls. Given the start they got, India would be disappointed at not reaching 200 after a middle-order muddle. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (14, 14b, 1x4), Richa Ghosh (17, 13b, 1x4, 1x6) and Deepti Sharma (5, 7b) fell cheaply as Sri Lanka staged a fine fightback.India recovered towards the end through a fine cameo from G Kamalini (15*, 5b, 1x4, 1x6), who was surprisingly included in the XI after India dropped out-of-form No. 3 Pratika Rawal. Kamalini skipped down the track to edge Sugandika Kumari for four before finishing the innings in style by dancing down the track and depositing the bowler over cow corner. Sri Lanka also suffered a major blow when batter Vishmi Gunarathne was stretchered off after twisting her ankle while fielding. The injury leaves the pressure of a stiff 184-run chase on captain Chamari Athapaththu and her team.Shafali, who cracked her third half century of the tournament — all three scores have been in the 60s — and Mandhana took the Sri Lankan attack to the cleaners on perhaps the best batting surface of the tournament. With 236 runs in five matches at 47.20 and a strike rate of 171.01, Shafali is set to finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Mandhana, with 213 runs at 42.60 and a strike rate of 165.11, is set to finish second.Shafali targeted Athapaththu in the latter’s first over, creaming her for 6, 6 and 4 as the Sri Lankan skipper conceded 20 runs. India raced to 57 in the Powerplay and reached 98 at the halfway mark without losing a wicket. Much to Sri Lanka’s relief, the stand ended when Shafali slapped Praboda straight to Athapaththu at the edge of the circle.Mandhana, though, would be disappointed to have been run out for the third time in this Asia Cup. In a debatable decision, she sacrificed her wicket in the 14th over after Harmanpreet cut a ball to point and set off, leaving her partner with little option but to go through with the run. It was a poor call by Harmanpreet, though Mandhana could have turned it down.Brief scores: India Women 183/5 in 20 overs (S Verma 68, S Mandhana 59; C Praboda 1/40) beat Sri Lanka Women 111 all out in 20 overs (C Athapaththu 36, N Silva 22; S Charani 4-20, D Sharma 3-19) by 72 runs.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.