From Sportstar · Lavanya Lakshmi Narayanan · · 2m
India women's cricket gold at Aichi-Nagoya
India women's cricket team wins Asian Games gold after beating Sri Lanka, but gap in quality to other Asian teams remains.
In brief
India women's cricket team wins Asian Games gold after beating Sri Lanka, but gap in quality to other Asian teams remains. India women's cricket team wins Asian Games gold against Sri Lanka, but Asian teams face a quality gap with India's dominance. Originally reported by Sportstar.
India women's cricket dominance
India women's cricket team won a record-extending eighth Women's Asia Cup title and Asian Games gold medal against Sri Lanka.
Key performers
Shafali Verma scored 188 runs and Smriti Mandhana 116 runs in the Asian Games, both top run-scorers in the Asia Cup.
Opponent strength
India faced Sri Lanka in both the Women's Asia Cup and Asian Games, securing gold in both tournaments.
Team composition
India's players are full-time professionals with global stars commanding lucrative contracts, unlike Japan's university students and teachers.
Asian teams
Thailand was the only consistent team among Asian nations in the Asian Games, with Malaysia, China and Japan completing the pack.
Quality gap
India's women's cricket team has a significant quality gap over other Asian teams, with full-time professionals versus amateurs.
Asian cricket sweep
India's women's cricket team has won eight Women's Asia Cup titles and an Asian Games gold medal, a record sweep in Asia.
Regional disparities
Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong China and UAE faced challenges against India's dominance in the Asia Cup.
Infrastructure gap
Japan's team consists of university students and teachers who squeeze cricket around their studies and jobs, unlike India's professionals.
Olympic ambitions
India's women's cricket team aims for Olympic success in Los Angeles 2028, but Olympic cricket remains a T20 knockout tournament.
ICC expansion
The ICC has expanded cricket to Associate nations, but full members like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh face internal challenges.
Sponsorship gaps
Indonesia played the Asia Cup without a shirt sponsor, while Afghanistan is still shielded from accountability for failing to field a women's team.
Future challenges
The gap in quality between India and other Asian teams will widen without increased investment and infrastructure.
Olympic cricket
Olympic cricket is a T20 knockout tournament, not a format that rewards past achievements or consistent performance.
Asian Games 2026
The Asian Games 2026 will feature 46 countries competing in cricket, with India's women's team aiming for gold.
Conclusion
India's women's cricket team has a significant quality gap over other Asian teams, but the gap will widen without investment and infrastructure.
The bottom line
India women's cricket team wins Asian Games gold against Sri Lanka, but Asian teams face a quality gap with India's dominance.
