Mandhana, Ghosh power India to record 216/3 in women's cricket gold medal match
Smriti Mandhana's classy 79 off 45 balls and Richa Ghosh's explosive finish powered India to a record 216 for three against Sri Lanka in the women's cricket gold medal match of the Asian Games here on Tuesday.
Defending champions India made a blistering start after winning the toss, with Mandhana and Shafali Verma (48 off 29) putting on 99 runs off 60 balls to set up the highest total in the history of the Games.
The opening pair took full advantage of a Sri Lankan attack that struggled to contain them, racing to 59 without loss in the six-over powerplay.
Mandhana was particularly severe on the spinners, hitting left-arm spinner Sugandika Kumari for consecutive sixes in the third over. She first struck straight down the ground off the back foot before following it with a slog sweep.
She then took Mithali Ayodhya for another six over extra cover in the following over.
Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu brought herself on to bowl the fifth over, but the move yielded 19 runs. Shafali pulled a long hop over the boundary before launching the next delivery over mid-off, while Mandhana later stepped out to hit the off-spinner straight down the ground.
Mandhana struck seven sixes in her innings.
Shafali, on the verge of another half-century, was dismissed for 48 when she attempted a reverse sweep against left-arm spinner Chamudi Praboda but mistimed the shot and was caught.
Harmanpreet Kaur came in at No. 3, an unsettled position for India in recent times, but could not convert the opportunity. The skipper made 19 off 17 balls before being caught at long-off in the 15th over, extending her difficult run since the Asia Cup.
Mandhana appeared set for a century but fell for 79 while attempting another slog sweep against Kumari, finding a fielder in the deep.
Ghosh then took charge in the closing overs, producing a powerful unbeaten 49 off just 22 balls to take India beyond 200 and finish with a formidable total.
India, the defending champions, will now look to complete their title defence with another gold medal.
