By Chetanya Sarraf
Sep 23, 2026, 12:38 PM
VVS Laxman Hails India Women After Asian Games Gold

Former India cricketer VVS Laxman congratulated the Indian women’s cricket team after its gold-medal victory at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026, describing the achievement as a proud moment for Indian cricket.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the women’s T20 cricket final on September 22 to successfully defend the gold medal it won at the previous Asian Games. The result also gave India its first gold medal of the 2026 Games.

Laxman’s message came a day after India’s title-winning performance in Nagoya, Japan. He is currently associated with the Indian men’s team at the Games and is serving as the stand-in head coach for the men’s cricket event.

Laxman Praises the Players and Support Staff

Laxman congratulated the women’s team in a post on X following the gold-medal match.

He praised both the players and the support staff for their efforts during the tournament. His message came after India completed a dominant campaign that ended with a convincing victory over Sri Lanka in the final.

The former India batter’s comments came as the women’s team celebrated another Asian Games title, having also won gold at the Hangzhou edition.

India Defeats Sri Lanka by 147 Runs

The final produced a commanding performance from India.

After winning the toss, India opted to bat first and posted 216/3 in 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana led the scoring with a rapid 79 from 45 deliveries, while Richa Ghosh remained unbeaten on 49.

Sri Lanka struggled during the chase and were bowled out for just 69 runs in 15.4 overs.

India therefore won by 147 runs, securing another women’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games.

Smriti Mandhana Leads India's Batting Effort

Mandhana played a central role in India’s imposing total.

Her 79-run innings provided the foundation for India’s strong start and helped the team maintain a high scoring rate throughout the 20-over innings. Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 49 also contributed significantly to India’s final total.

The performance continued Mandhana’s strong run in international cricket. The BCCI also noted that she became the first batter to reach 11,000 international runs in women’s cricket during the final.

Indian Bowlers Keep Sri Lanka Under Pressure

India’s bowlers then completed the job after the team’s substantial first-innings total.

Deepti Sharma was the leading wicket-taker, finishing with figures of 3/6. Shafali Verma, Sree Charani and Shreyanka Patil also claimed two wickets each as Sri Lanka lost wickets regularly.

Sri Lanka’s highest scorer was Chamari Athapaththu, who made 29 from 21 deliveries, but the team could not build partnerships during the chase.

A Second Consecutive Asian Games Gold

The victory continued India’s run of success in women’s cricket at the Asian Games.

India had won the gold medal at the Hangzhou Games and faced Sri Lanka again in the final in Aichi-Nagoya. The 2026 result meant India successfully retained the title.

Sri Lanka finished with the silver medal for the second consecutive edition, while Pakistan claimed bronze after defeating Bangladesh in the third-place playoff.

The gold was also India’s first medal of the gold category at the 2026 Asian Games, according to the BCCI and other reports.

Laxman's Role at the Asian Games

While congratulating the women’s team, Laxman was in Japan with the Indian men’s cricket team.

He is serving as the stand-in head coach for India’s men’s cricket campaign at the Asian Games. Before the men’s competition begins, India had already played a one-off T20 match against Japan, winning by two runs.

The men’s cricket competition is scheduled to take place from September 24 to October 3.

That means Laxman’s focus will now turn toward the men’s campaign, following India’s women’s team securing the cricket gold medal.

India's Strong Tournament Run

The women’s team reached the final after a successful run through the competition.

India began with an eight-wicket victory over Japan in the quarter-final. Sree Charani took four wickets in that match, while Shafali Verma scored an unbeaten 40 from just 15 deliveries.

In the semi-final against Bangladesh, Shafali produced another major contribution, scoring her maiden T20I century from 49 deliveries. India posted 195/4 before bowling Bangladesh out for 81.

The final against Sri Lanka then brought the campaign to a close with another comprehensive win.

Key Numbers From the Final

Category	India	Sri Lanka
Score	216/3	69 all out
Overs	20	15.4
Result	Won by 147 runs	Lost
Top India batter	Smriti Mandhana, 79	Chamari Athapaththu, 29
India bowling	Deepti Sharma 3/6	—

What Laxman's Message Means for the Team

Laxman’s comments came at the end of a tournament in which the women’s team successfully defended its Asian Games cricket title.

His message specifically congratulated the players and support staff after their gold-medal performance. The result itself provides the context for the praise, with India producing a strong batting display before restricting Sri Lanka to 69.

The attention now shifts to the men’s cricket competition, which begins on September 24. Laxman will be involved with that campaign in his role as stand-in head coach.

The victory also highlighted the depth of India’s women’s cricket setup, with contributions coming from both experienced players and younger members of the squad. Strong performances across the knockout stages helped India maintain momentum throughout the tournament. The final result further underlined the team’s ability to handle pressure in a major multi-sport event while delivering a convincing performance when the gold medal was at stake.

India's Gold-Medal Campaign at a Glance

Quarter-final: India beat Japan by eight wickets.
Semi-final: India beat Bangladesh by 114 runs.
Final: India beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs.
Gold medal: India retained its women’s cricket title.
Top scorer in final: Smriti Mandhana with 79.
Best bowling figures: Deepti Sharma with 3/6.

The Indian women’s cricket team’s gold-medal victory has now been followed by congratulations from VVS Laxman, who praised the players and support staff after their successful Asian Games campaign. With the women’s competition complete, attention will turn to the men’s cricket event in Aichi-Nagoya from September 24.

Source: ANI, BCCI, ICC

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By Chetanya Sarraf Sep 23, 2026, 12:38 PMVVS Laxman Hails India Women After Asian Games Gold