For the third successive time, it’s India vs Sri Lanka in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup.
The finale of the continental T20 showpiece at Dubai International Stadium on Sunday (6:30 pm) gives Sri Lanka a chance to win back-to-back titles, having stunned India in the 2024 final for their first trophy in the history of this competition.
But no team has won this tournament as many times as India. The seven-time champions will be the overwhelming favourites again on Sunday.
Having reached the final with comprehensive wins against Thailand, Hong Kong, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team have reason to feel confident about their chances against Sri Lanka.
On the slow surface of Dubai, Indian batters have found answers to the spin puzzle. And their spinners, led by the wonderful Deepti Sharma, have exploited the conditions beautifully.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have also arrived in the final without losing a single game. But they had to work hard for victory, with their misfiring top order putting pressure on the rest of the players to bail the team out.
Against Pakistan in the semifinal, they were struggling at 33 for four while chasing 131 before completing a four-wicket win.
In the group stage, Bangladesh reduced them to 44 for five before they escaped to book a place in the semifinal.
Even debutants Indonesia had their moment against Sri Lanka when they had them gasping for breath at 44 for five.
On each occasion, their resilience saw them overcome the challenge.
But that may not be enough against India, who have a brilliant all-round team with each player making important contributions.
All-round strength
“I think that’s what we always talk about — that everyone in the team is very important, and their contribution means a lot to us,” skipper Harmanpreet said at the pre-match press conference.
“It’s good to see that whoever is getting the opportunity is coming up with some really solid performances.
“As a captain, I’m really happy with the way our batting unit has responded in difficult situations. We are still managing to get runs on the board, and whenever we are bowling, our bowlers are coming up with some really solid performances.
“So, overall, I’m really happy with the way we have played so far. Hopefully, tomorrow also we’ll come up with some solid performances.”
Harmanpreet admitted that the team is extra motivated to win against Sri Lanka, having lost the final to the islanders two years ago.
“The last time when we played against Sri Lanka, they came up with some really solid plans and solid performances,” she said.
“I think T20 is all about, on a given day, who is going to play the best cricket. They are going to win. There is no doubt about whether any team is stronger or lesser than anyone else.
“So, I think it’s all about playing good cricket and coming up with some solid performances on an important day. Tomorrow is one of those days when both teams will be looking to play their best cricket. Hopefully, we’ll come up with some solid performances.”
Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, an iconic name in women’s international cricket, praised the youngsters in the team for showing an incredible fighting spirit during this tournament.
“As a captain, I’m really happy with the way the youngsters have played, especially the middle order — Harshitha (Samarawickrama) and others like Kavisha (Dilhari), and senior player Nilakshi (Silva). The way they have batted in the middle overs has been amazing,” she said.
“They have absorbed the pressure every time. In pressure situations, they have stood up in the middle. So, really good signs.”
Top-three must deliver
The Lankan captain acknowledged the top three need to pull up their socks in the final.
Opener Athapaththu, 36, one of the most prolific batters in the history of women’s international cricket, has only scored 15 runs in three matches since making a brilliant unbeaten 48 in the opening game against hosts UAE.
Her opening partner, Imesha Dulani, has managed just 64 runs in four matches, and number three, Edirimuni Sanjana, has scored just 29 from the same number of matches.
Athapaththu hoped that the top three will strike when it matters the most, in the final.
“The thing is, we need to improve our batting in the top three. And yeah, if we can execute our plans tomorrow, I mean, we can change the result,” she said.
Harmanpreet, however, hoped that her bowlers would not allow the Lankan top three, including Athapaththu, to take the game away.
“Well, definitely, we want to take her wicket as soon as possible because we know how dangerous she is when she’s batting,” Harmanpreet said.
“And yeah, definitely, we want to come up with some solid plans against her — not only against her, but against all their batters.
“As Chamari said, their middle order is really taking the pressure and winning games for their team. I think that shows they can do good things.
“But as a team, we definitely want to go with some really solid, positive plans to take their wickets. As I said, as a team, we are not going to take any team lightly, and we know they have a very strong team.
“I think if our plans work, we can beat any team on any day. So, I think it’s all about playing good cricket and coming up with a positive approach.”
But a Sri Lankan victory would do wonders for cricket in the South Asian island country, Athapaththu said.
“Winning the last T20 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, it was a really good thing for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka. The people’s mindset, especially among the spectators and the board, everyone thinks, okay, now we are in a good mood and we are playing really good cricket. Our girls are playing really good cricket,” she said.
“So if we win this time, it’s really good for women’s cricket in Sri Lanka as well.
“And win or lose, at the moment we are playing really good cricket throughout this tournament. So we need to improve in some areas to build a good team in the future. That’s what I want to do.”
Source: Khaleej Times