Asian Games
Asian Games 2026: Women's cricket brings India's first gold - Highlights
Highlights from Asian Games 2026 on September 22, with India in action in cricket, badminton, shooting, hockey, table tennis, kabaddi, boxing, wushu and more.
Asian Games 2026 LIVE: India eye cricket gold – Blog, updates (Photo credit: PTI)
India finally opened its gold medal account at the Asian Games 2026 on September 22, with the women’s cricket team beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs to retain the title.
Batting first, India posted 216, powered by a 99-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, followed by a late assault from Richa Ghosh. Sri Lanka were bowled out for 69 in 15.4 overs, with India’s spinners sharing the wickets.
Badminton provided another major boost as India’s men’s team secured a medal by beating Japan 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Lakshya Sen began the tie with a three-game win over Kodai Naraoka before Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty defeated former world champions Takuro Hoki and Yugo Kobayashi. Ayush Shetty then sealed the tie against Koki Watanabe.
On the hockey field, India’s men produced another dominant display, defeating Sri Lanka 16-1. Jugraj Singh scored four goals while Abhishek added three.
Wushu also added to India’s medal tally, with Roshibina Devi reaching the podium in the women’s 60kg category. In boxing, Sakshi Chaudhary defeated 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Aira Villegas 5-0, while Jadumani Singh also began his campaign with a unanimous win.
There were setbacks too. Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Rakesh Mane finished fourth in the mixed 10m air rifle, while India’s women’s badminton team lost 1-3 to Japan in the quarterfinals. The women’s table tennis team also bowed out after losing 0-3 to North Korea in the last eight.
India’s men’s badminton medal ensures another podium finish, while several other events remain in contention as the Games continue.
Highlights:
Live Updates
- 22 Sept 2026 3:25 PM IST
Wushu, Women's 60Kg Quarterfinal: Roshibina Devi confirms a medal with a win
Roshibina Devi confirms her third consecutive Asian Games medal with a WPD (win by point difference) against Macao's Chu Man Sin in the Women's 60Kg Wushu quarterfinal.
The reigning silver medalist had been one of the most consistent players on the circuit and will now fight for a place in her second consecutive final tomorrow.
- 22 Sept 2026 3:14 PM IST
Swimming, Men's 4x100 Medley Relay final: India finish last
Indian quartet of Utkarsh Patil, Danush Suresh, Rohit Benediction and Akash Mani clocked 3:44.26s to finish last in the men's 4x100 medley relay final.
In the heats, the Indian team missed the record by just 0.21 microseconds.
The national record of 3:40.20 was set during the 2023 Asian Games. The menbers of the record making team were Srihari Nataraj, Sajan Prakash, Tanish George Mathew, SP Likith.
- 22 Sept 2026 2:45 PM IST
Badminton, Men’s Team Quarterfinals: India assured of a medal
Koki Watanabe made Ayush Shetty work hard in the closing stages, drawing level at 16-all before taking an 18-16 lead. But the tall Indian held his nerve to win the game 21-19.
Ayush won the match 21-10, 21-19.
India are assured of a medal, with Ayush Shetty through to the semifinals!
- 22 Sept 2026 2:37 PM IST
Boxing, Men's 55Kg Round of 32: Jadumani Singh takes a unanimous win to begin his campaign
Jadumani Singh started his Asian Games campaign with a unanimous 5-0 win over Nepal's Chandra Thapa.
Jadu started his bout on the back foot, allowing Thapa to land some good punches, but slowly he found his groove and commanded the ring to win the bout comfortably in the end.
He won three cards by a 30-27 score and won the remaining two cards by 29- 28 to book his spot in the prequarterfinals.
- 22 Sept 2026 2:13 PM IST
Badminton, Men’s Team Quarterfinals: Ayush take opening game
Ayush Shetty off to a positive start in the opening game. He zoomed to a 7-2 lead before making it a confortable 16-5.
He eventually clinched the opening game 21-10.
- 22 Sept 2026 1:59 PM IST
Equestrian, Eventing Day 1: Ashish Limaye ends the day in the top 6; men's team eliminated
Ashish Limaye is in the top 6 after day 1 with a penalty of 35.50 points from the first events of Dressage and Jumping, while Fouaad Mirza is in 24th place with a penalty of 46.70 points.
The men's team was eliminated because one of the riders, Arjan Singh got eliminated in the jumping event, and a team event requires scores from 3 riders.
- 22 Sept 2026 1:51 PM IST
Badminton, Men’s Team Quarterfinals: Ayush Shetty v Koki Watanabe
India on the brink of a medal at the Asian Games. They need one more win to win the tie and confirm at least a bronze.
Its time for: Ayush Shetty vs Koki Watanabe.
- 22 Sept 2026 1:45 PM IST
Badminton, Men’s Team Quarterfinals: Satwik Chirag take India to 2-0 lead
Satwik Chirag make it 2-0 for India in the tie. They beat former World Champions Takuro Hoki/ Yugo Kobayashi 21-18, 24-22 in straight games.
Satwik-Chirag were on match point but the Japanese pair saved and went on to make 20-all. The Indian pair again had match point opportunity but the Japanese pair literally stole it from the Indians.
The game went on to the fourth match point, and this time the Indians converted!
- 22 Sept 2026 1:30 PM IST
Cricket, Women's Team Final: India clinch the gold medal with a 147-run win
India finally opens its gold medal tally at the 2026 Asian Games with the Indian women's cricket team winning the team title with a mammoth 147-run win over Sri Lanka.
Batting first, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma's 99-run opening stand set up India's 216, the highest-ever total in Women's Cricket at the Games, before Richa Ghosh's late blitz and 13 sixes sealed a record-breaking total.
India's spinners put the final nail in the coffin, with Deepti Sharma, Shree Charani, Shreyanka Patil and Shafali Verma sharing the wickets as Sri Lanka collapsed to 69 runs in 15.4 overs.
The defending champions are now the two-time champions of the Asian Games.
- 22 Sept 2026 1:30 PM IST
Badminton, Men’s Team Quarterfinals: Satwik-Chirag have the momentum
The Indians lead 7-3 in the second game and then stretch it to 13-12. The momentum has largely been with Satwik-Chirag in this game.
But it’s 14-all now. The former World Champions are fighting back.
