Nandini Sharma Reflects on Historic Gold Medal Win for Indian Womens Cricket Team

Chandigarh, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : The Indian women's cricket team has made history by winning the gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Chandigarh. This victory follows their previous gold medal triumph at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Nandini Sharma, a right-arm bowler, expressed her pride in this achievement. In an exclusive interview after the Asian Games, Sharma reminisced about her experience during the Asia Cup final, where she received a medal for best fielding."The feeling of receiving a medal for best fielding was truly wonderful," she said. Sharma, who took three wickets in the semifinal against Bangladesh, emphasized the team's focus on performing their best, regardless of the outcome. "We are told to play our best cricket. The result doesn’t matter; it’s about continuing to perform well," she noted. She credited her teammates, Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, for their support throughout her career. "Jemimah played a significant role in my development during the Women’s Premier League, and Smriti has always been there to guide and support me," Sharma added.This gold medal marks a significant milestone for India, as it is the first gold won in the 2026 Asian Games. Sharma described the moment they stood on the podium with the national anthem playing as "incredible," especially with the Indian flag raised high. In the final match on September 22, India batted first, scoring 216 runs with three wickets lost. Smriti Mandhana led the charge with 79 runs, while Shefali Verma contributed 48 runs, and Richa Ghosh remained unbeaten on 49.In response, Sri Lanka was bowled out for just 69 runs in 15.4 overs. Shefali Verma claimed two wickets for only three runs, and Deepti Sharma took three wickets, with Shreyanka Patil and Shri Charani each securing two wickets. Reflecting on the championship match, Sharma praised Shefali for her strong start and the team's overall performance. "Everything was in our favor. We set a strong target, and our bowlers executed their plans effectively, focusing on the basics, which led to our victory," she concluded.