An emotional Harmanpreet Kaur stood teary-eyed on the victory podium as the Indian national anthem resounded across Japan, capturing the sheer pride of leading India to its first gold medal at the Asian Games 2026. As the tricolour unfurled overhead, the skipper was overcome with emotion, struggling to hold back tears of joy—a poignant moment that instantly went viral across social media.
The victory marked a triumphant defense of India’s continental crown, with the Women in Blue capping off an undefeated campaign by crushing Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final.
Harmanpreet Kaur about the win:
Opting to bat first after winning the toss, India posted a formidable 216/3 in their 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana spearheaded the attack with a explosive 79 off 45 balls, featuring five boundaries and seven sixes. She was complemented by Shafali Verma’s crisp 48 off 29 balls. Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh provided the closing flourish, hammering an unbeaten 49 off just 22 deliveries to cross the 200-run threshold.
Sri Lanka’s chase faltered early under persistent pressure from India’s spin attack. Aside from skipper Chamari Athapaththu’s 29 off 21 balls, the Sri Lankan batting order collapsed to 69 all out in 15.4 overs. Deepti Sharma spearheaded the bowling figures with 3/6, supported by two wickets each from Shafali Verma, Shreyanka Patil, and Sree Charani.
Sri Lanka claimed the silver medal, while Pakistan earned bronze after defeating Bangladesh in their playoff match. India has won two consecutive gold medals, successfully defending the title they won at the 2022 Hangzhou Games. India won the gold medal match by 147 runs after posting 216/3 and bowling out Sri Lanka for 69.
EMOTIONAL CAPTAIN HARMANPREET KAUR – Gold Medal in Asian Games 🥹❤️
– She is creating legacy as a Leader. pic.twitter.com/mvP7rJvF1j
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 22, 2026
