When Smriti Mandhana was offered a hint of width by Mithali Ayodhya off the first ball of the Women’s Asia Cup final, she opened the face and guided it past point for four. Little did Sri Lanka know it was the start of a very long evening.Sri Lanka’s best chance of putting India under pressure was to dismiss the in-form opening duo of Mandhana and Shafali Verma early. When they failed to do so, the defending champions were left chasing leather as India’s openers put together a 129-run stand before Sree Charani ripped through Sri Lanka’s chase to complete a 72-run victory in Dubai on Sunday and seal India’s record-extending eighth Asia Cup title.It was Shafali who initially set the pace. She slog-swept Kavisha Dilhari for her first boundary before collecting two more fours off Ayodhya in the third over. The real acceleration came when Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu brought herself on in the fifth. Shafali greeted her with a boundary through mid-wicket before clearing the ropes twice in the same over. She took 20 runs from the seven balls she faced from the Sri Lanka captain.Also Read | Behind Smriti Mandhana’s transformation: More hundreds and better strike rateBy the end of the powerplay, India had raced to 57/0. Shafali then went after Chamudi Praboda, one of Sri Lanka’s most economical bowlers. Two fours in three balls took her into the forties before she brought up her fifty off 24 deliveries — the fastest fifty in Women’s T20 Asia Cup history. Shafali Verma in action. (BCCI|X)While Shafali had done most of the early damage, Mandhana was content to play second fiddle. At the end of eight overs, she was 24 off 23 balls. But with Shafali having already put Sri Lanka under pressure, the left-hander began to accelerate.Mandhana used her feet against Praboda and lofted her over long-on before taking on Athapaththu in the following over, getting to the pitch of the ball and lifting her over extra cover. Another six followed before a cut took her to a 35-ball fifty.The change of gears meant Sri Lanka were no longer dealing with one aggressor. By the time the partnership reached 100 in the 11th over, both openers were finding the boundary and Sri Lanka were struggling to slow them down.Story continues below this adPraboda eventually provided the breakthrough in the 13th over when Shafali, found Athapaththu to depart for 68 off 39 balls, with nine fours and two sixes.Also Read | Why Gukesh’s Grand Swiss performance is not an indicator of a Ding Liren-esque freefallMandhana followed soon afterwards for 59 off 39 thanks to a bad call from Harmanpreet Kaur. At 132/2, India had the platform for a towering finish. Sri Lanka, however, clawed back well. Richa Ghosh, promoted to No.4, struggled for timing despite briefly breaking free with a six and a four off successive Ayodhya deliveries. She was dismissed for 17 off 13 when she toe-ended Athapaththu to cover.Harmanpreet, promoted to No.3 after an unconvincing knock in the semifinal against Bangladesh, could not provide the required acceleration either, falling for 14 to Ayodhya.India had not fully cashed in on their opening stand, but G Kamalini supplied the final push. Drafted into the XI for Pratika Rawal and walking in at No.7 in the final over, she made an unbeaten 15 off five balls. Her six over wide long-on from the final delivery carried India to 183/5.Story continues below this adJust over a year since making her debut, Sree Charani showed she has established herself as one of the mainstays of the attack. On the night, the left-arm spinner delivered again, finishing with 4/20. Indian players in action during the final. (BCCI/X)Charani first removed Harshitha Samarawickrama, whose unbeaten 69 had taken Sri Lanka past India in the 2024 final, with a sharp return catch. She then struck twice in three balls in the 16th over, dismissing Kavisha Dilhari and Nilakshika Silva, before completing a wicket-maiden final over by having Sugandika Kumari caught at deep square-leg.Deepti Sharma also did her bit. Having entered the final as the tournament’s joint-highest wicket-taker with 11, she outfoxed Athapaththu, having her stumped for 36, before bowling Vishmi Gunaratne three balls later. She returned to claim the final wicket and finish with 3/19.Also Read | Why Gukesh’s Grand Swiss performance is not an indicator of a Ding Liren-esque freefallThe rout had been set up by India’s pacers. Nandani Sharma and Kranti Gaud denied Sri Lanka early momentum, with Athapaththu taking eight balls to get off the mark and the required rate climbing from the outset. From there, India never allowed Sri Lanka back into the contest.Story continues below this adBrief scores: India 183/5 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 68, Smriti Mandhana 59) beat Sri Lanka 111 all out in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 36; Sree Charani 4/20, Deepti Sharma 3/19) by 72 runs.