Sri Lanka-W vs India-W Asia Cup T20 final live updates: Sri Lanka crowned Asia Cup champions: A historic victory for the nation

That wraps things up for today. See you until next time!

Sri Lanka have beaten India by eight wickets in the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 as they chased down the target of 166 in 18.2 overs and have clinched their maiden Asia Cup title.

Harshita Samarawickrama is playing the pivotal role for Sri Lanka in this high-value runchase and her fifty of just 43 balls makes things difficult for India.

Sri Lanka require 25 runs off just 18 balls with eight wickets in hand to win their first ever Women’s Asia Cup title.

India skipper, Hermanpreet Kaur drops a simple catch, which could’ve seen the end of Harshita Samarawickrama. India might look back to regret on this moment.

The tone of this match has gone beyond the charts, as even Dilhari is now targetting the likes of India’s Radha Yadav. Things can slip eithersides with Sri Lanka just left with 43 runs to win in just 30 balls.

This match is getting as intense as it can get with the run-flow dipping down for Sri Lanka after the dismissal of Chamari Athapaththu. Things can still go eitherway, and India bowlers need to be on top of their game.

SL-W (99/2 after 13 overs) chasing 166 vs IND-W

INDIA GET THE WICKET THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR!!! IT IS CHAMARI ATHAPATHTHU WHO FALLS TO DEEPTI SHARMA!!! Poetic as you say it, the leading wicket-taker gets the leading run-scorer. 72 runs more to win for Sri Lanka in just 8 overs.

Sri Lanka’s hopes are majorly riding on their skipper Chamari Athapaththu, who is showing some scintillating touch despite the required run-rate now touching 9.

8 runs came off Deepti Sharma in the eighth over as Harshitha Samarawickrama and Chamari Athapaththu keep guiding Sri Lanka

SL-W (62/1 after 8 ovs), chasing 166 vs IND-W

Tanuja starts with a loosener down leg and Chamari swivels to belt the ball over square-leg for SIX

Chamari Athapaththu is taking on charge of the majority of the runflow for Sri Lanka, and Samarawickrama is giving her some healthy support at the other end of the crease.

SL-W (23/1 after 4 ovs), chasing 166 vs IND-W

Harshita nimbly paddles Deepti behind short fine-leg and reels in two runs.

Vishmi Gunaratne fails to get going and goes down as the first wicket for Sri Lanka. Pooja Vastrakar gives India exactly the kind of start they would have wanted.

SL-W (7/1 after 1.3 ovs), chasing 166 vs IND-W

Vishmi Gunaratne and skipper Chamari Athapaththu take the crease for Sri Lanka as their opening pair, and will face Renuka Singh on in the first over of their run chase.

India finish on 165 runs after a fiery finish from Richa Ghosh, which gave the perfect ending to the build-up from Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues.

So India have still made it towards the 160s. Prabodhani to bowl the final over. Every run from here could dampen Sri Lanka’s hopes. Wide delivery outside the off-stump and Richa Ghosh scythes the ball over short-third for FOUR.Prabodhani finishes with a couple of deliveries in the blockhole and India end up on 165/6 in 20 overs.

Prabodhani took Richa’s wicket,  Straight to the keeper. Richa attempts to scoop the ball over the keeper but the lack of pace sends it straight to the keeper, not before she damaged Sri Lanka’s morale with a barrage of boundaries.

4,4,6 – Richa Ghosh comes on to the crease and wastes no time getting into aggressive gears in order to ensure a big finish to the innings for India.

IND-W (157/5 after 19 overs) vs SL, RIcha (24*), Vastrakar (5*); Dilhari (2/36)

 Richa makes room to drill the ball through cover and Harshita Samarawickrama puts down another chanceas the ball bursts through her palms for two runs.

Kavisha Dilhari took Mandhana’s wicket, Caught by Chamari Athapaththu. Smriti Mandhana follows Jemimah back to the pavilion only four balls later, and that marks the end of what had been a brilliant knock by the India star.
IND-W( 133/5 after 16.5 ovs) vs SL in Dambulla

Kavisha Dilhari took Rodrigues’s wicket. Rodrigues Run Out. Jemimah had briskly eased the pressure off of Mandhana but is trudging back now.

Jemimah Rodrigues has shifted to her aggressive gears and that has sent India’s runflow back to full scale with Smriti also firing away in her turn. The fielding errors are not helping Sri Lanka at the moment.

IND (114/3 after 15 ovs) vs SL; Smriti (58*), Jemimah (18*); Priyadharshani (0/31)

Smriti works it to deep mid-wicket and that’s her 26th T20 fifty – the second most in international women’s cricket

Sachini Nisansala took Kaur’s wicket, Caught by Nilakshi de Silva!! In the airrr, taken! Was always the risk playing across the line and against the turn Harmanpreet

IND (87/3 after 12 ovs)

India-W skipper Harmanpreet and Smriti Mandhana are both taking a controlled route now and are not trying anything risky after the loss of two quick wickets of Shefali Verma and Uma Chetry.

IND (68/2 after 10 ovs) vs SL; Smriti (38*), Hermanpreet (3*), Athapaththu (0/6)

Mandhana drives a fuller delivery to long-off for a single. Sugandika angles the ball in and Harmanpreet works the ball to wide long-on for one run.

India lose another quick wicket. Chamari Athapaththu took Uma Chetry’s wicket . A gentle loopy deliver on the middle-stump line and Uma plays all around it as she attempts to sweep it fine. That’s plumb and Uma perishes cheaply.

Smriti and Uma take a subtle approach and that brings up the 50 for India.

IND (50/1 after 7.2 ovs) vs SL, Smriti (30*), Uma (2*), Nisansala (0/3)

INDIA LOSE THEIR FIRST WICKET!!!! Kavisha Dilhari took Shafali Verma’s wicket Appeal, given despite the fact that Shafali was dancing down the pitch.

IND (44/1 after 6.2 ovs) vs SL

Smriti Mandhana has switched completely to her aggressive gears and ensures an aggressive end to the powerplay by hitting Prabodhani for 14 runs. The dropped catch will now be seriously regretted upon.

IND (44/0 in 6 overs) vs SL. Shafali (16*), Mandhana (26*); Kumari (0/3), Prabodhani (0/20).

Dilhari hits the slot and Shafali miscues the slog-sweep. Vast vacant spaces near square-leg and Shafali gets away with two runs. A single to follow.

Sri Lanka are bowling well at the moment, despite India’s knack of sneaking in boundaries in every over

India are dealing in one boundary per over right now. Shafali Verma brings out a huge stride and punches the second ball of the second over for four through covers.

IND (12/0 in 2 overs) vs SL. Shafali (10*), Mandhana (1*); Inoshi (0/6), Prabodhani (0/6).

The opening pair of Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana will be looking to continue their sublime form in the final.

India captain, Harmanpreet Kaur wins the toss and has decided to bat first in the Asia Cup final.