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During the Asian Games cricket tournament final against Sri Lanka, the Indian batting trio of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur will play a massive role in India's chances of a second successive gold in women's cricket.
Just days after squaring off in the title clash for the Asia Cup, India and Sri Lanka will be locking horns for the Asian Games women's cricket gold in Japan on Tuesday. Shafali, who has been in scintillating form in knockout games since her masterful 87 against South Africa in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup at home last year, cracked her maiden T20I ton against Bangladesh in the semifinals on Sunday, with her 49-ball 100* being laced with three fours and nine sixes. Shafali also became the second Indian to reach 100 women's T20I sixes, achieving a count of 104 sixes, the most by an Indian batter. In T20 knockout matches across international and franchise cricket, Shafali has made 354 runs in 12 matches and innings at an average of 35.4, with a strike rate of 159.45, including a century and a fifty. Her best score is 100*. India's record-breaking girl Smriti Mandhana also has had her moments in T20 knockout matches, having made 329 runs in 13 innings at an average of 25.3, with a strike rate of 132.12, including a fifty, the best score of 87 in the Women's Premier League (WPL) final for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) this year. Lastly, Harmanpreet, who has often stepped up for India in big matches, has the most consistent record of the three, scoring 324 runs in 12 matches at an average of 121.34, including two fifties and a best score of 66 for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 2025 WPL final. Squads:India Women Squad: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Gunalan Kamalini, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Radha YadavSri Lanka Women Squad: Imesha Dulani, Chamari Athapaththu(c), Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Hansima Karunaratne, Kaushani Nuthyangana(w), Mithali Ayodhya, Kawya Kavindi, Chamudi Praboda, Sugandika Kumari, Rashmika Sewwandi, Nimasha Meepage, Sanjana Kavindi, Anushka Sanjeewani. (ANI)
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