India elect to bat in Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the Women's Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, September 13, 2026. The match is a rematch of the 2024 final, which Sri Lanka won. Ahead of the title clash, Kaur publicly called for her middle-order batters to take greater responsibility, noting that the top order, led by Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana, has scored the bulk of the runs in the tournament. "We know we have such a good batting lineup, and I think when you have such a good batting lineup, it is only about whoever is doing well on that day," Kaur said at the pre-match press conference. "That person should take responsibility and finish the game for the team. I think that is the key on this pitch." Kaur acknowledged the batting challenge in Dubai, describing the pitch as "a little tough to bat on," and urged her batters to build their innings before attempting big shots. She also outlined India's strategy against Sri Lanka's star batter, Chamari Athapaththu.