Harmanpreet Kaur Urges India’s Middle Order to Step Up in Women’s Asia Cup Final Against Sri Lanka

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has called on her struggling middle order to trust its abilities and take greater responsibility when India face Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final on Sunday.

India have reached the summit clash on the back of strong contributions from the top of the order and an impressive bowling unit, but their batting has been heavily dependent on two players. Shafali Verma has led the scoring charts for India with 168 runs, while Smriti Mandhana has contributed 154. Harmanpreet is the team’s next-highest scorer but has managed only 57 runs in the tournament. With the final expected to be another high-pressure contest, the Indian captain believes the solution is not necessarily a major change in approach but greater belief from the batters coming in after the openers.

The performances of Shafali and Mandhana have been central to India’s progress through the tournament. Their combined tally of 322 runs represents a significant portion of India's scoring, placing additional responsibility on the middle order to deliver when the openers are unable to provide a platform. Harmanpreet, however, remains encouraged by the contributions India have received from other members of the squad.

The captain pointed to the fact that different players have stepped up at different stages whenever opportunities have come their way. For India, maintaining that collective contribution will be crucial against a Sri Lankan side that has already demonstrated its ability to challenge them in major tournaments.

While the top order has provided consistency, the middle order needs to ensure that strong starts are converted into match-winning totals.

Sri Lanka Brings Memories of 2024 Final

Sunday’s final also carries an additional layer of significance because it is a repeat of the 2024 Asia Cup final, when Sri Lanka stunned India to claim the title. Harmanpreet expects another closely fought contest and believes the outcome could come down to which team handles the pressure better on the day. India will therefore be wary of taking anything for granted despite their strong tournament campaign. Sri Lanka have already shown that they possess the temperament and tactical ability required to defeat India in a final.

Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, meanwhile, highlighted the performances of her middle order ahead of the rematch. Kavisha Dilhari, Harshitha Samarawickrama and senior batter Nilakshi Silva have all played important roles, particularly during difficult phases in the middle overs.

Athapaththu was particularly pleased with how her batters have handled pressure rather than allowing wickets or scoreboard pressure to derail their innings. That middle-order resilience could be one of Sri Lanka’s biggest advantages heading into the final. While India have relied heavily on their opening pair, Sri Lanka appear to have found contributions further down the batting order at important moments.

For Sri Lanka, the final represents an opportunity to retain the Asia Cup title and further strengthen the impact of their 2024 triumph.

Athapaththu believes another title would be hugely significant for women's cricket in Sri Lanka. The previous victory helped change perceptions around the national women's team, with supporters and administrators recognising the progress made by the players.

For India, meanwhile, the target is clear: reclaim the Asia Cup crown and extend their dominance in the competition. The final could ultimately be decided by the very area Harmanpreet has identified. If India’s middle order can finally complement Shafali and Mandhana with a substantial contribution, the team will have a stronger chance of overcoming Sri Lanka.

But if the Sri Lankan middle order once again absorbs pressure and produces crucial runs, another upset could be on the cards. With history, experience and the Asia Cup title at stake, Sunday’s final promises to be a compelling rematch between two sides that know exactly what is required to win at this level.