India captain
In a move to bolster the lineup, the Indian team management has made their first adjustment to the playing XI of the competition. Gunalan Kamalini has been brought into the side, replacing Pratika Rawal. This inclusion marks Kamalini’s first appearance in the current edition of the Asia Cup and represents only the second T20I appearance of her career. Prior to this final, India had maintained an unchanged XI throughout their opening four matches.
India’s Pursuit of a Record Eighth Title
India enters the final as the more dominant side, having displayed consistent strength across all three facets of the game. The batting unit has been anchored by the form of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, who currently lead the team's run-scoring charts. On the bowling front, Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani have been instrumental in India's path to the final, having secured 11 and eight wickets respectively.
The team is currently aiming to secure a record-extending eighth Asia Cup crown. Their previous successes in the tournament include four titles in the ODI format and three in the T20I format. The squad for the final features Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Gunalan Kamalini, Harmanpreet Kaur, Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, and Nandani Sharma.
Sri Lanka’s Challenge in the Title Clash
Sri Lanka, the defending champions, have also navigated their way to the final without a loss, though they have faced challenges with their batting consistency. Captain
Kavisha Dilhari remains a central figure for the Sri Lankan side, with expectations high for her to deliver with both bat and ball. The Sri Lankan XI for the final includes Chamari Athapaththu, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kavisha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushani Nuthyangana, Sugandika Kumari, Chamudi Praboda, and Mithali Ayodhya.
