Published By: Sanchari Das

ICC Women's T20 World Cup: India Hope to Avenge Asia Cup Defeat to Keep World Cup Dream Alive

India must win against Sri Lanka to stay in the World Cup race

Having lost the first match against New Zealand, India finally got on the point table with a six-wicket victory against PAK at the Dubai International Stadium. Arundhati Reddy and Shreyanka Patil were the stars, claiming five out of the eight wickets that helped India secure a victory. However, the struggle of Indian batters was evident as the team took 18.5 overs to chase a mere target of 105. 

Up next, India takes on Sri Lanka on October 9 in another crucial must-win match. The Women in Blue have a long history with the Lankans with the most recent clash being the Asia Cup final which saw India tasting dirt. 

India vs Sri Lanka: Head-to-Head

India Women and Sri Lanka Women have clashed in 25 T20Is, with India dominating the rivalry. Of the 25 encounters, India has emerged victorious 19 times, while Sri Lanka has managed only five wins. One match ended without a result. India's consistent performance against Sri Lanka gives them a psychological edge, but Sri Lanka has shown their fighting spirit in recent times. As they gear up for their next encounter in Dubai, both teams will be keen to add to their tally in this heated rivalry. 

India's last three clashes against Sri Lanka

Asia Cup 2024 Final

In a major upset, Sri Lanka clinched their maiden Women's Asia Cup title by defeating India by eight wickets in the final at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in July 2024. After winning the toss, India posted a competitive 165/6, with Smriti Mandhana (60) and Richa Ghosh (30) leading the charge. However, Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu and Harshita Samarawickrama powered their team to victory, chasing down 166 with eight balls to spare. The seven-time champions India failed to secure their eighth title, marking a significant moment for Sri Lankan cricket.

Asian Games 2023

India Women redeemed themselves by winning their maiden gold medal at the Asian Games 2023, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Batting first, India struggled to capitalize on a solid 73-run partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues. They ended with 116/7 in their 20 overs. Titas Sadhu's double-wicket maiden derailed Sri Lanka's chase, reducing them to 15/3 early on. Despite a brief fightback, Sri Lanka finished at 97/8, handing India a 19-run victory. The gold medal was a historic achievement for India in women's cricket.

Asia Cup 2022

India secured their seventh Women's Asia Cup title in 2022 with a crushing eight-wicket win over Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, batting first, managed a paltry 65/9, with Renuka Singh leading India's bowling charge. Inoka Ranaweera's unbeaten 18 helped avoid a complete collapse. India chased down the modest target in nine overs, led by Smriti Mandhana's blistering 51 off 25 balls. The comfortable chase, completed with 69 balls to spare, set a new record in women's T20I finals and reaffirmed India's dominance in the tournament.

Must-win for India against Sri Lanka

With only two group-stage games left, India needs to win both to secure a spot in the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals. Their net run rate slightly improved after the victory over Pakistan, but they remained in fourth position with -1.217 points. To strengthen their qualification chances, India needs to beat Sri Lanka by a significant margin, boosting both their points and run rate. A loss would make the path to the semifinals much harder.

India's last group-stage match will be against the six-time champions, Australia. Defeating Australia would be a huge confidence boost for India, but it's a tough challenge. If India manages to beat Sri Lanka but loses to Australia, their semifinal hopes will hinge on other results. New Zealand's performance in their remaining matches will also be crucial. India will have to hope New Zealand loses at least two matches, keeping the race for the semifinals alive - a lean-on situation no team likes to be in.