Sri Lanka defeated UAE by nine wickets in their opening match of the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, with pace bowlers Chethana Vimukthi and Mithali Ayodhya leading a dominant bowling performance.

Sri Lanka made a strong start to their title defence in the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, dispatching UAE by nine wickets in Dubai on Friday. The contest proved one-sided, with the hosts restricted to just 79 runs before Sri Lanka's batters completed the chase with 73 balls remaining.

Captain Chamari Athapaththu elected to bowl first and her decision paid immediate dividends. Nineteen-year-old Ayodhya made an impact from the opening over, dismissing opener Theertha Satish in the fourth delivery. Vimukthi, playing her maiden T20 International, then showcased impressive skill with the new ball, claiming two wickets through movement and precision bowling. The pair set the tone for a suffocating bowling display, combining for six wickets between them. Spinner Sugandika Kumari added further pressure through the middle overs, removing UAE captain Esha Oza for 18, while Vimukthi and Ayodhya returned at the death to pick up two additional wickets each.

UAE struggled to build any momentum, managing only 22 runs during the powerplay with two wickets already lost. The chase proved academic for Sri Lanka, with Athapaththu requiring just 25 deliveries for an unbeaten 48, including two fours and a six. The captain also reached a historic milestone during the innings, becoming the first batter to accumulate 500 runs across Women's Asia Cup tournaments. Opener Imesha Dulani contributed 25 before being run out in unfortunate circumstances when the bowler's deflection caught her short at the non-striker's end.