Sri Lanka Women stormed into the gold-medal match of the Asian Games 2026 women’s cricket tournament after captain Chamari Athapaththu produced a match-winning knock to guide her side to an eight-wicket victory over Pakistan in the first semi-final on Sunday.Chasing 178 at Korogi Sports Park, Sri Lanka reached 178/2 in 17.5 overs, sealing the win with 13 balls to spare. The victory guarantees Sri Lanka at least a silver medal, while Pakistan will compete in the bronze-medal match.
Pakistan post competitive total
After a delayed start, Pakistan recovered from an early setback through a strong partnership between Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar. Zafar led the charge with an aggressive 71 off 40 balls, while Zulfiqar contributed 54 off 50 deliveries. The pair added 115 runs to put Pakistan in a strong position before the team finished its 20 overs at 177/4.
Athapaththu leads Sri Lanka’s emphatic chase
Sri Lanka’s chase was anchored by Athapaththu, who struck an unbeaten 83 off 50 balls. Her innings featured seven boundaries and six sixes as she took control of the contest after settling in. Imesha Dulani added 26 off 21 balls, helping Sri Lanka maintain momentum, while the captain continued to attack the Pakistan bowlers and guide her team towards the target.Pakistan struggled to contain Sri Lanka, with their bowling and fielding unable to halt the scoring. Sri Lanka eventually completed the chase in 17.5 overs, losing just two wickets.The win sends Sri Lanka into the gold-medal match, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between India and Bangladesh. Pakistan, meanwhile, will take on the losing side in the bronze-medal playoff.
