India Women vs Sri Lanka Women at Asian Games: India Won the Draw and Decided to Bat First

The Indian cricket team is set to make history on Tuesday, September 22, by playing its first T20 match against Japan. This fixture, which will take place in the city of Sano, Japan, will serve to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. For the Indian team, this match holds particular significance as part of preparations for the Asian Games, and it is being closely watched worldwide as part of the Suzuki Cup.

Before the game, a key question arose regarding the participation of Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the starting lineup. Despite impressive form in the recent three-match T20 series against Afghanistan, Vaibhav had to remain on the bench as the team management opted for the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Head coach Gautam Gurwir previously stated that Vaibhav possesses talent but would have to wait his turn due to the priority given to senior players. Now, fans are eagerly awaiting whether Vaibhav will get a chance to debut in this one-off confrontation against Japan. Notably, head coach Gautam Gurwir did not accompany the team on this tour.

Indian Team Advantage

A colossal difference in class is observed when comparing the teams. India is a T20 World Champion, whereas the Japanese team ranks 41st in the world rankings. For Japan, this match represents a unique opportunity to share the field with some of the world's greatest players and boost the popularity of cricket in a country known as a baseball hub.

How to watch the match live

The Japanese team is led by Kendel Kadawaki-Fleming. Cricket fans can follow the game live through the FanCode applications and websites. Live television broadcasting will be available on the Star Sports network.

Weather Conditions

There is a possibility that rain could affect the course of the match. Given the weather conditions in Sano, rain is forecasted. Predictions of rain and stormy winds may slow down the outfield, creating an additional challenge for the athletes.

Team Lineups

Indian Team: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Japanese Team: Kendel Kadawaki-Fleming (Captain), Shirai Patmore (Wicketkeeper), Alister Fleming, Benjamin Ito Davis, Rio Sakurano Thomas, Kohei Kubota, Wataru Miyauchi, Declan Suzuki, Ibrahim Takahashi, Makoto Taniama, Lachlan Yamamoto-Leck, Tsuyoshi Takada, Charlie Hara-Hinch, Shoma Slatter, Jack Kusuda-Nairan.

The Indian women's cricket team maintained its dominant status by winning its eighth Asian Championship title at the Asia Cup. However, despite this victory, the team under Harmanpreet Kaur did not attend the awards ceremony and celebrated the triumph without the trophy.

Consequently, a new question arose among fans regarding Mohsin Naqvi, President of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and head of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC): if the Indian cricket team wins a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games, will Naqvi be present on stage to present the medal?

The Indian women's team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated Sri Lanka in the 2026 Asia Cup. More attention from the public was drawn not to the sporting contest itself, but to the trophy presentation ceremony. Fans actively discussed this topic on social media.

After the victory, the Indian team directly refused to accept the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, returning without it. The team's head coach, Amol Majumdar, supported this decision, stating that the team's main focus is now on the Asian Games.

If India wins a gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games, the probability of Mohsin Naqvi presenting the medals is extremely low. The reason lies in the regulations of the Asian Games. These competitions are held in accordance with the rules of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The right to present medals belongs exclusively to designated officials of the OCA and representatives of the local organizing committee. Unlike cricket tournaments, one council head does not have the authority to distribute medals independently here.

Previously, at the 2022/2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou, China, both the men's and women's Indian cricket teams won gold medals. At that time, the medals were also presented according to official protocol.

Now, India is preparing to contend for gold again at the upcoming games, which will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The match for the Indian women's cricket team for the gold medal is scheduled for September 22nd at 10:30 AM, and the men's team will begin its campaign on September 28th.

The composition of the Women's Asia Cup 2026 final has been determined. The final match between the teams of India and Sri Lanka will take place on Sunday, September 13, at the International Cricket Stadium in Dubai. Prior to this, in the semi-final held on Friday, September 11, Sri Lanka defeated Pakistan by 4 wickets, thereby earning the right to participate in the title match.

Previously, both teams met in a final where Sri Lanka managed to beat India and win the Asia Cup title for the first time.

In the semi-final against Pakistan, Sri Lanka was set a target of 131 runs. The start of the game was extremely unsuccessful for Sri Lanka, which lost four batsmen, scoring only 33 runs in the first 6.2 overs. The situation was saved by Harshita Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari, who built an important partnership of 67 runs for the fifth wicket.

Harshita Samarawickrama contributed to the game by scoring 36 runs off 31 balls, including two fours. Kavisha Dilhari added another 33 runs off 33 balls, using four fours. However, Pakistan's captain, Fatima Sana, managed to dismiss Harshita Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari in one over, once again putting Sri Lanka under pressure. At that time, the team's score was 109/6, and they needed to score 22 runs in the last three overs.

At the decisive moment, Nilashka Silva (not out, 18 runs) and Kaushani Nuthangana (not out, 10 runs) brought the team to the target, leaving 8 balls. Despite Fatima taking four wickets in bowling, her team failed to capitalize on this advantage, and Sri Lanka won the match despite the pressure.

Earlier, when Pakistan came out to bat after losing the toss, the situation was also difficult. In 10 overs, their score was 52/4. After this, captain Fatima Sana took charge, scoring 47 runs off 36 balls not out. During this innings, Fatima hit four fours and two sixes. Thanks to her performance, the Pakistani team managed to reach a score of 130 runs while losing five batsmen.

The clash between India and Sri Lanka in the final will recall the events of the 2024 title match. In that previous edition, Sri Lanka defeated India by 8 wickets, winning the Women's Asia Cup title for the first time. Nevertheless, the Indian team is currently in excellent form, having reached the final by winning four consecutive matches. India finished first in the group stage, winning all three matches, and defeated Bangladesh in the semi-final by 40 runs. Team Harmanpreet Kaur aims to win the eighth Women's Asia Cup title by defeating Sri Lanka. For her part, Sri Lanka intends to defend its title.