India’s dominant women retained their Asian Games cricket crown in style on Sept 22.
India won their first gold of this 20th edition of Asia’s biggest sporting spectacle, with Smriti Mandhana the hero.
Her whirlwind 79 helped them crush Sri Lanka by 147 runs and win a second consecutive women’s cricket title.
India smashed 216-3 off their 20 overs, the highest women’s total in Games history, with 18 fours and 13 sixes.
Sri Lanka were never a threat as they were skittled for 69 in 15.4 overs and had to settle for silver.
“It’s a good thing to win the first gold medal for India,” opening batter Mandhana told AFP.
“It feels amazing. We’ve seen other athletes win gold on TV.”
The men’s cricket competition begins on Sept 24, with India favourites to win that too. AFP
