Jay Meena Advances to Soft Tennis Quarterfinals; India Women Dominate Sri Lanka
India’s campaign at the Asian Games found its rhythm on Tuesday, with a commanding display across disciplines that underlined both depth and intent.
Soft Tennis
In soft tennis, Jay Meena marched into the quarterfinals with a ruthless 4-0 win over Pakistan’s Arain Hussain in Group D. There was no easing into the contest, no early nerves on show. Meena imposed himself from the start, controlling tempo and angles, and never allowing Hussain a foothold.
The scoreline told its own story. Straight games, no drama. Just clean, efficient progress.
Next comes a bigger test. Meena now faces the Philippines’ Sherwin Nuguit in the quarterfinals on Wednesday (September 23, 2026), a clash that will demand the same clarity and composure he showed against Hussain. One hurdle cleared, the stakes rise immediately.
Women’s Cricket
While Meena was moving through the draw, India’s women’s cricket team delivered a statement of their own.
Smriti Mandhana set the tone with a sparkling 79, batting with authority and timing as India built a commanding 216/3. She anchored the innings, but did it with flair, picking gaps, punishing loose bowling, and never letting Sri Lanka settle. The scoreboard pressure grew with every over.
Sri Lanka, already looking tense in the field, carried that strain into their chase. India’s bowlers sensed it and pounced.
Deepti Sharma led a relentless attack, finishing with an outstanding economy rate of 1.50. Over after over, India squeezed the scoring, denied boundaries, and forced mistakes. There was no release, no period where Sri Lanka could rebuild. Wickets kept tumbling, and the chase never truly began.
Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 69, handing India a crushing 147-run victory. It was clinical, almost ruthless, the kind of performance that sends a message across the tournament.
On a single day, India saw a soft tennis player stride into the knockout rounds and a women’s cricket side dismantle their opponents with bat and ball. Different arenas, same theme: control, conviction, and a growing sense that this campaign is building towards something significant.
