Harmanpreet urges India to 'take responsibility' as Sri Lanka awaits in Women’s Asia Cup final

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has called on her players to take greater responsibility and finish games as the seven-time champions prepare to face defending champions Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

India have enjoyed an unbeaten run to the title clash but their campaign has been powered largely by openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, while the middle order has yet to consistently make a major impact. Shafali has scored 168 runs in the tournament, while Mandhana has accumulated 154, leaving Harmanpreet keen for other batters to step up when the title is on the line. The captain stressed that India have enough depth in their batting order and said the key in the final would be for the player who gets settled to assume responsibility and take the innings deep.

Harmanpreet backs batting depth

Harmanpreet said India did not need to dramatically alter their approach for the final and should instead trust the methods that have taken them through the tournament unbeaten. “We know we have such a good batting line-up, and I think when you have such a good batting line-up, it is only about whoever is doing well on that day,” Harmanpreet said ahead of the final. “That person should take responsibility and finish the game for the team. I think that is the key on this pitch.”

India’s middle order was tested in the semi-final against Bangladesh after Mandhana fell early. Despite finding scoring difficult on a slow surface, India managed 149 for six, with Harmanpreet, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma contributing valuable runs. The bowlers then took control, restricting Bangladesh to 109 for seven and sealing a 40-run victory. Deepti returned figures of three for 26 and enters the final with 11 wickets in the competition. Harmanpreet said the performances across departments had given India confidence ahead of their biggest test of the tournament.

Sri Lanka stand in way again

Sunday’s final offers India an opportunity to reclaim the continental crown from the team that denied them the trophy two years ago.

Sri Lanka defeated India by eight wickets in the 2024 final to win their maiden Women’s Asia Cup title. Harmanpreet’s side had won the previous edition in 2022, also beating Sri Lanka in the title clash.

The two sides now meet in the final for the third consecutive edition.

Sri Lanka have also arrived at the summit clash unbeaten. They booked their place in the final with a four-wicket victory over Pakistan, recovering from 33 for four while chasing 131.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu remains central to Sri Lanka’s challenge, while their slow-bowling attack could prove particularly important on a Dubai surface where scoring has often become difficult as innings progress.

India chase eighth crown

India remain the most successful team in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup, having won seven titles, including six consecutive championships between 2004 and 2016 before adding another in 2022.

An eighth title would restore India to the top of Asian women’s cricket after their defeat in the 2024 final.

Harmanpreet, however, has sought to keep the focus on execution rather than the occasion. She wants her side to remain calm, play to its strengths and avoid placing additional pressure on itself simply because a trophy is at stake.

With both teams unbeaten and Sri Lanka carrying the confidence of having defeated India in the previous final, the contest is set to provide a stern examination of India’s batting depth and their ability to deliver under pressure.