India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, beat Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 on 13 September 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India scored 183 for 5 and bowled Sri Lanka out for 111 in 20 overs. The win gave India its record-extending eighth Women’s Asia Cup title and avenged its defeat to Sri Lanka in the 2024 final.
What Happened in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final?
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final was played on 13 September 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. India chose to bat first after winning the toss and finished with 183 for 5 in 20 overs. Sri Lanka, the defending champions, were bowled out for 111 in 20 overs, so India won by 72 runs.
The final was a repeat of the 2024 final in Dambulla, where Sri Lanka had beaten India by eight wickets to win its first title. In Dubai, India completed an unbeaten run through the 2026 tournament and reached its tenth straight final in tournament history. The 2026 edition was the tenth Women’s Asia Cup overall and the sixth played in the Twenty20 format, where each side plays a maximum of 20 overs.
| Final Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | India Women vs Sri Lanka Women, Final |
| Date | 13 September 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai |
| Toss | India chose to bat |
| India score | 183 for 5 in 20 overs |
| Sri Lanka score | 111 all out in 20 overs |
| Result | India won by 72 runs |
Who Starred for India in the Final?
Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana set up the victory with a 129 run partnership in just 12.5 overs. Their stand gave India a fast start and put Sri Lanka under pressure from the beginning. No other Indian pair has scored more for the first wicket in a Women’s Asia Cup final.
Shafali Verma scored 68 runs off 39 balls with nine fours and two sixes. She reached her fifty in only 24 balls, which is the fastest fifty in Women’s Asia Cup history. Smriti Mandhana, the vice captain, scored 59 runs off 39 balls with five fours and three sixes. Late runs from Gunalan Kamalini, who stayed unbeaten on 15 off five balls, helped India reach 183.
Sri Lanka’s chase never recovered after an early setback. Chamari Athapaththu, the Sri Lanka captain, scored 36 off 32 balls and added 50 runs for the second wicket with Vishmi Gunaratne, who made 20. Once Athapaththu was stumped off Deepti Sharma in the tenth over, Sri Lanka slipped from 62 for 2 to 111 all out.
Left arm spinner Shree Charani was the most successful bowler with 4 wickets for 20 runs in four overs, including one maiden over. Off spinner Deepti Sharma took 3 wickets for 19 runs, while Shafali Verma added 1 wicket for 23 runs with her off spin. For her all round show, Shafali was named the Player of the Match. She also finished as the Player of the Series after scoring 236 runs in five innings with three fifties at a strike rate above 171.
What Is the Women’s Asia Cup and How Has It Evolved?
The Women’s Asia Cup is a biennial continental championship organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The ACC was formed in New Delhi on 19 September 1983 as the Asian Cricket Conference to promote cricket in Asia. It is headquartered in Dubai and currently has 30 member associations.
The first Women’s Asia Cup was held in 2004 in Sri Lanka with only India and Sri Lanka taking part in a five match One Day International series, which India won 5-0. One Day International means a match where each team can play up to 50 overs. The first four editions in 2004, 2005-06, 2006 and 2008 were all played in this 50 over format, and India won all four.
The tournament changed to the Twenty20 format from 2012. Since then, India has remained the most successful team, but its dominance has been challenged. Bangladesh beat India in the 2018 final to win its first title, and Sri Lanka beat India in the 2024 final in Dambulla to win its first title.
| Year | Format | Winner | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2005-06 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2006 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2008 | ODI | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2012 | T20 | India | Pakistan |
| 2016 | T20 | India | Pakistan |
| 2018 | T20 | Bangladesh | India |
| 2022 | T20 | India | Sri Lanka |
| 2024 | T20 | Sri Lanka | India |
| 2026 | T20 | India | Sri Lanka |
The 2026 tournament was hosted in the United Arab Emirates from 28 August to 13 September 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The stadium, part of Dubai Sports City, was established in 2009 and has a capacity of 25,000. Eight teams took part after qualification through the ACC Women’s Premier Cup.
How Did India Reach the Final?
India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, entered the 2026 event as the most successful team and finished the tournament without losing a single match. Harmanpreet, born on 8 March 1989 in Moga, Punjab, is a right handed batter who also led India to its first Women’s Cricket World Cup title in 2025. During the group stage in Dubai, she became the first cricketer in men’s or women’s cricket to captain a national side in 150 Twenty20 Internationals, when India played Pakistan.
India started with a 94 run win over Thailand on 30 August 2026. Shafali scored 64 off 36 balls as India made 159 for 9, and then Thailand were bowled out for 65. India then beat Pakistan by seven wickets after bowling Pakistan out for only 55, which was Pakistan’s lowest total in women’s Twenty20 Internationals. India chased the target in just 8.4 overs.
In the first semi final on 10 September 2026, India beat Bangladesh by 40 runs. India scored 149 for 6, built around Shafali’s 64 off 40 balls and Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 24. Deepti Sharma took 3 wickets for 26 runs as Bangladesh finished on 109 for 7 in 20 overs. The win took India to its sixth final in the Twenty20 version of the Asia Cup.
Why Does This Eighth Title Matter for India?
India’s eighth title extends its record as the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history. No other country has won more than one title. The victory also restores India’s lead after back to back setbacks, with a loss to Bangladesh in 2018 and to Sri Lanka in 2024 breaking long periods of Indian control.
The result carries extra meaning because it came against the same opponent that had denied India two years earlier. In the 2024 final, Sri Lanka chased 166 to win by eight wickets. In 2026, India scored 183 and defended it with spin, showing better planning on slow Dubai pitches where the ball grips and turns. The performance of young players also stands out. Shafali Verma, born on 28 January 2004, made her international debut in 2019 as a teenager and has grown into India’s most aggressive opener. Shree Charani and Kranti Gaud, who took early and middle over wickets through the tournament, point to fresh depth in India’s bowling.
For Sri Lanka, led by Chamari Athapaththu, the defeat ends its reign as defending champions but confirms its place as India’s strongest current rival in Asia. Sri Lanka had reached the final after topping its group and remains the only team other than Bangladesh to beat India in a Women’s Asia Cup final.
Key Takeaways
- India won the 10th Women’s Asia Cup (6th in T20 format) on 13 September 2026 by beating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in Dubai.
- India scored 183 for 5 and bowled Sri Lanka out for 111, to claim a record-extending eighth title under captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
- Shafali Verma (68 off 39 balls) won the Player of the Match and Player of the Series after scoring 236 runs with three fifties.
- Smriti Mandhana (59) shared a 129 run opening stand with Shafali, while Shree Charani (4 for 20) and Deepti Sharma (3 for 19) starred with the ball.
- The tournament is organised by the Asian Cricket Council, formed on 19 September 1983 and headquartered in Dubai, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium established in 2009.
