India Retain Women's Cricket Gold; Afghan Cyclist Hashimi Takes Road Race Silver

India crushed Sri Lanka by 147 runs for a second straight Asian Games women's cricket title, while Fariba Hashimi earned silver in the women's road race at Aichi-Nagoya.

Smriti Mandhana struck 79 to lead India to the first gold medal for the country at the 20th Asian Games. Setting 216-3 from 20 overs, the highest women's total ever recorded at the Games, India then bowled Sri Lanka out for 69 in 15.4 overs to secure a 147-run victory and a second consecutive women's cricket title. Mandhana told AFP that winning India's opening gold felt amazing, noting the team had previously only watched other athletes do it on television. The men's cricket tournament gets underway Thursday, with India considered the favorites.

At the cycling road race, Afghanistan's Fariba Hashimi finished second and described the result as something special. The 23-year-old, now living in Italy, left her homeland after the Taliban regained control in 2021. She recounted being attacked with stones and training in men's clothing as a teenager alongside her sister Yulduz, who also became a professional cyclist, and said she was proud to have fought back against a country where women with dreams come under attack.

In the Tokyo pool, China captured 15 of the 20 swimming golds awarded so far. Japan's 17-year-old Yumeki Kojima broke through in the 400m individual medley, setting an Asian Games record of 4:07.02 to lead a Japanese one-two. Competing in front of Leon Marchand, Kojima said the Frenchman is his highest target and he hopes to close the gap before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

MMA appeared at the Asian Games for the first time, with Singapore's Teo Hui Hoon among its inaugural champions after taking gold in the women's traditional -60kg division. She said she was overwhelmed by the win and had never cried after a fight before. China led the medal standings with 31 golds, followed by host Japan on 11, with South Korea and Kazakhstan level on six apiece. Organizers pushed back against criticism of delays boarding the Costa Serena, the cruise ship housing more than 4,000 athletes in Nagoya's port, blaming teams for the confusion.