India A put in an impressive performance to defeat Sri Lanka A Defeated by five wickets in the first semi-final of ACC Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 On Friday, February 20 at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok. Chasing a modest target of 119 runs, India A scored 119-5 in just 13.3 overs, sealing a convincing win and securing their place in the final.
After bowling out Sri Lanka A Women for 118 in 19.4 overs, India’s batsmen displayed determination and composure to take the contest with 39 balls to spare.
Radha Yadav’s four wickets restricted Sri Lanka A to 118 runs
Sri Lanka A, who won the toss and batted first, made a steady start during the powerplay and reached 47 runs in the first six overs. Opener Sanjana Kavindi scored the highest score of 31 runs in 35 balls with the help of five fours, but she had to struggle to accelerate.
Hansima Karunaratne set the early pace with a quickfire 14 off nine balls including three fours before falling to Tanuja Kanwar. However, Sri Lanka’s middle order failed to take advantage of the platform.
Captain and wicketkeeper Anushka Sanjeevani could score only six runs, while Satya Sandipani contributed 15 runs in 15 balls. Shashini Gimhani raised hopes for a while by scoring 22 runs in 17 balls including a six, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
The turning point came through India captain Radha Yadav, who played a match-winning innings of 4 wickets for 19 runs in 3.4 overs. His left-arm spin destroyed the lower order and took important wickets in the death overs. Prema Rawat was equally effective, taking 2 for 9 including a maiden in four overs.
Tanuja Kanwar also took two wickets, while Minnu Mani and Saima Thakor took one wicket each. Sri Lanka A went from 100/5 to 118 all out.Lost their last five wickets for only 18 runs.
A disciplined bowling effort ensured India chased down the target with ease on a balanced surface.
Explosive start sets the tone for India A’s chase
India A chased the target aggressively from the start and scored 54 runs in the powerplay. Although Nandini Kashyap was out after scoring 13 runs in the fifth over, the pace never slowed down.
Vrinda Dinesh played a brilliant inning of 42 runs in just 20 balls, hitting eight fours at a remarkable strike rate of 210. His fearless strokeplay dismantled the Sri Lankan bowling attack and shifted the momentum decisively in India’s favour.
Anushka Sharma provided solid support by scoring 27 runs in 18 balls with the help of five fours. The pair put together a vital partnership of 47 runs for the second wicket and effectively took the game away from Sri Lanka.
Despite losing a few wickets in quick succession in the middle overs – including Sharma and Tejal Hassabnis – India remained comfortably ahead at the required rate.
Radha Yadav, who had already performed brilliantly with the ball, gave a memorable performance with the bat. Moving up the order, he scored 31 not out with the help of seven fours in 18 balls and maintained the strike rate above 170. His composed innings ensured there were no interruptions late on. Minnu Mani was run out late in the chase, but by then the result was beyond doubt. Mamta Madiwala remained unbeaten and India A crossed the finish line in the 14th over.
India A advances to Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars Final 2026 🏆#INDvSL #TeamIndia #AsianUprisingStars pic.twitter.com/bA9rT3N1SQ
– WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) 20 February 2026
Sri Lankan bowlers struggled to contain the aggressive Indian batsmen. Shashini Gimhani took two wickets but gave away 33 runs in her three overs. Yasanthi Nimanthika took one wicket, while the rest of the attack struggled to generate sustained pressure.
This article was first published here WomenCricket.comA Cricket Times Company.
