Women's Asia Cup: India beat Sri Lanka by 8 wickets to clinch title
Sylhet (PTI): India maintained their dominance in the Women's Asia Cup with an eight-wicket demolition of a self-destructing Sri Lanka in the final here on Saturday for their seventh title in eight editions.
Sri Lanka, who were playing their first tournament final in 14 years, imploded after opting to bat on a slow and turning pitch. They could only manage 65 for nine which India knocked off in 8.3 overs. Smriti Mandhana struck a sublime 51 not out off 25 balls.
It was a procession after Sri Lankan skipper Chamari Athapaththu got run out in the third over following a mix up with Anushka Sanjeewani who too got run out six balls later.
Renuka, who has been in top form since the Commonwealth Games in August, sent back Hasini Perera on the very first ball she faced. The left-hander checked her shot only to be caught at cover, leaving Sri Lanka at nine for four.
The Sri Lankans were in dire need of a partnership but Kavisha Dilhari's fall made it 16 for five as she was bowled while trying to play an incoming delivery from Renuka across the line.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad got her first wicket after Nilakshi de Silva played on to her stumps while trying to cut a ball close to her body. At 32 for eight, being bowled out for a sub-50 total was very much on the cards, but Ranaweera saved them from that ignominy with an unbeaten 18 off 22 balls.
The Indians bowled with discipline but poor shot selection contributed more to Sri Lanka's steep slide. After a memorable win over Pakistan in the semifinals, it seemed the occasion got the better of Sri Lanka.
India lost Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues cheaply in the run chase. However, both the batters did well in the tournament, with Shafali getting back to form and Jemimah making a successful comeback from injury.
The elegant Mandhana played some exquisite strokes on way to completing the formality alongside skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (11 not out off 14). Smriti's effort included three sixes and six boundaries. Fittingly, she sealed the win with a maximum off Oshadi Ranasinghe.
The win is a shot in the arm for India's preparations for the T20 World Cup next year. They were able to test players for different roles during the competition, though that also contributed to their only loss in the tournament, against Pakistan in the league stage.
The Indians took a lap of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium and, in a fine gesture, got clicked with the entire groundstaff after their triumph, which was witnessed by a sizeable turnout.
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Catholic Bishops' body slams Bhagwat's remarks
New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'
In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".
"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.
"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.
'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.
The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.
"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.
In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"
"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.
O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".
The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.
