India’s women’s cricket team secured the gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday, September 22 at Karogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs. The victory marked India’s second consecutive Asian Games gold in women’s cricket, following the title won at Hangzhou in 2023. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat, setting the stage for a dominant performance that would define the tournament.
India posted 216 for 3 wickets, a record at the continental showpiece. Smriti Mandhana scored 79 off 45 balls, while Richa Ghosh remained unbeaten on 49 off 22 balls. Indian bowlers then restricted Sri Lanka to 69 all out, with Deepti Sharma taking 3 for 6. The comprehensive victory underlined India’s superiority throughout the competition.
After the triumph, Harmanpreet Kaur hoped that India would win more gold medals in the other events at the Asian Games.
“It feels good to get a gold medal. For any athlete, it’s a dream. Our team has opened the gate of gold medals,” Kaur was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
“The more gold medals India wins, the better for us. We are going back (to India) tomorrow. But, we will definitely follow (other events),” she added.
What the gold medal means for Indian cricket
Kaur reflected on the significance of winning gold at the Asian Games, an event that has long been a dream for Indian cricketers. The captain emphasised the team’s singular focus from the moment they arrived in Japan and the emotional weight of achieving this milestone for the nation.
“It’s a big thing for me, and for the team (to win gold). Since we came here, we had only one aim – to take the gold medal from here. We want to see our flag fly high and the national anthem sung. But, we didn’t know, we will be the first one to get the gold. I am sure the other athletes will win a lot of gold medals,” Kaur said.
For Indian cricketers, participation in the Asian Games represents a relatively recent opportunity compared to other sports. Harmanpreet spoke about how women’s cricket’s inclusion in the continental event has opened doors that were previously closed to earlier generations of players.
“As a cricketer, we always wanted to be part of the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympics because we have always participated in bilateral series, World Cup and Asia Cup. But we didn’t know how it feels when you play for a medal. We didn’t have much experience with those things.” Kaur said.
“But thankfully, we got a chance to play in the last two editions. Before us, so many cricketers came, but they didn’t get that chance. I am sure in future, facilities-wise, stadium-wise and crowd-wise, these things will improve,” she added.
The captain also highlighted a unique aspect of winning medals at the Asian Games. Unlike domestic trophies that remain with the cricket board’s office, these medals held personal significance for the players who had worked to bring them home.
“And now, at least we can also frame two medals back home because when we win trophies, they go to the (BCCI) office. They don’t come back to us. But this is something which belongs to us,” Kaur said.
