Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Harmanpreet Says India’s Asian Games Gold Opens Medal Floodgates
India’s women’s cricket team won the gold medal at the Asian Games.
They beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final.
This allowed India to keep the title it won in the previous edition in China.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said winning gold is a dream for athletes.
She hoped India’s victory would encourage more gold medals.
The team played on a hybrid pitch in Japan.
Harmanpreet said the players focused on the parts of the game they could control.
She also said learning to adjust to different conditions could help India at the 2028 Olympics.
India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs to retain the women’s cricket gold medal.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the victory could open the way for more Indian gold medals.
India entered the tournament with the sole aim of defending its 2023 title.
Harmanpreet said the hybrid pitch and ground facilities were adequate despite earlier concerns.
She said adapting to unfamiliar conditions could help India at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
- Who
- India’s women’s cricket team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeated Sri Lanka.
- What
- India won the Asian Games women’s cricket gold medal by 147 runs and retained its title.
- When
- Tuesday, September 22, during the 2026 Asian Games.
- Where
- Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
- Why
- India aimed to defend its previous title and win a gold medal for the country.
Conditions Were Adequate
Facilities Had Limitations
Ground and pitch quality
Conditions Were Adequate
Harmanpreet Kaur said the hybrid pitch and ground facilities were good, caused no injuries and supported both batting and bowling.
Facilities Had Limitations
She acknowledged that other facilities were not at the highest level and that reports had raised concerns about the ground.
Handling unfamiliar conditions
Conditions Were Adequate
Harmanpreet said the team focused on controlling its game and adjusted successfully to the pitch.
Facilities Had Limitations
She said Japan is not widely known for cricket, so the team expected facilities might not be among the world’s best.
- Result
- India beat Sri Lanka by 147 runs.
- Medal
- India won gold in women’s cricket.
- Previous title
- India won the previous edition in China in 2023.
- Captain
- Harmanpreet Kaur.
- Tournament route
- India defeated Japan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in its three knockout matches.
- Playing surface
- The final was played on a hybrid pitch.
- Future Olympics
- Harmanpreet discussed adapting to conditions ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
