For one last time in this Women's Asia Cup Cup 2024, India will face Sri Lanka in the mega finale to stake their claim on the ultimate trophy on 28 July at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, have been a dominant force in the tournament, winning all four of their games against Pakistan, UAE, Nepal, and Bangladesh so far.
There has been complete dominance in both departments, and the same control was on display in the semi-final against Bangladesh, as India won the one-sided contest by 10 wickets.
Renuka Singh and Radha Yadav each took 3 wickets, reducing Bangladesh to a paltry total of 80 runs in the first innings. Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana wrapped up the straightforward chase in just 11 overs to qualify for the finals.
Still, India cannot afford to take Sri Lanka for granted, and Kaur must ensure her squad is fired up with the same energy and intent on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka had to fight tooth and nail against Pakistan Women to claim the final berth. In a 141-run chase, the host nation stumbled with two quick wickets before legendary captain Chamari Athapaththu scored a gritty half-century to take her team through.
Sri Lanka must be careful with their batting, as the Indian spinners will capitalise if they lower their guard.
The opener, in particular, must take responsibility as Athapaththu cannot always come to the rescue.
Still, Sri Lanka have been equally competitive in this tournament and is expected to give India a tough fight for the title run.
Likely Lineups
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Uma Chetry, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Thakur Singh
Sri Lanka Women: Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamari Athapaththu (c), Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshi de Silva, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Udeshika Prabodhani, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasuriya
Prediction
The Women's Asia Cup final is anticipated to be a closely contested match, with both teams having the potential to secure the title. India's depth and well-balanced squad provide them with a slight advantage.
However, Sri Lanka's competitiveness and ability to produce match-winning performances should not be underestimated.
Overall, we expect India to prevail tomorrow.
