Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has announced a ₹75 lakh cash incentive for 18-year-old cricketer G Kamalini, who was part of India’s gold-medal-winning women’s T20 cricket team at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.
The announcement came on September 22 after India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final, scoring 216/3 before bowling Sri Lanka out for 69. Vijay congratulated the Indian team and specifically recognised Kamalini, a Madurai native, saying the state government would continue to support talented sportspersons.
Vijay Recognises Kamalini’s Gold
Vijay congratulated the Indian women’s team for winning the gold and singled out Kamalini for being part of the title-winning squad. In his statement, he said, “A prestigious cash award of Rs 75 lakhs will be given” to Kamalini on behalf of the Tamil Nadu government.
He added that the government would remain a support system for talented sportspersons and said her achievement could give “new inspiration and confidence” to the youth and women of Tamil Nadu.
The recognition follows India’s emphatic victory over Sri Lanka in the final. India, the defending champions after winning gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, posted 216/3, powered by Smriti Mandhana’s 79 off 45 balls, Shafali Verma’s 48 and Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 49 off 22 balls.
Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 69, with Deepti Sharma taking three wickets. The 147-run margin gave India its first gold medal of the Aichi-Nagoya Games. For Kamalini, who was included in India’s Asian Games squad, the medal adds another achievement to a rapid rise through domestic and international cricket.
She played in India’s campaign before remaining unbeaten without batting in the final. Her recent tournament record also includes an unbeaten 15 off five balls against Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup earlier in September.
From Madurai To The National Team
Kamalini’s rise has been closely linked to her performances in Tamil Nadu’s junior cricket system. In the 2024 Women’s Under-19 T20 Trophy, she scored 311 runs in eight matches and helped Tamil Nadu win the title, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer. Her performances earned her a place in India’s Under-19 set-up.
Her breakthrough came in December 2024. On her Under-19 Asia Cup debut against Pakistan, Kamalini scored an unbeaten 44 off 29 balls, earning the Player of the Match award as India won by nine wickets. On the same day, she was bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹1.6 crore at the Women’s Premier League auction after a bidding contest with Delhi Capitals.
She subsequently became the youngest player to make her WPL debut, at 16 years and 213 days, and was part of India’s victorious Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in 2025. She later progressed into the senior national set-up, making her India debut against Sri Lanka in December 2025.
Her early journey also reflects the importance of family and local sporting opportunities. The Indian Express reported in 2024 that Kamalini first became interested in cricket during the Covid-19 lockdown after watching her father train her brother. She began bowling herself despite having no formal cricket training at the time. Within a few years, that interest had developed into a place in India’s senior squad and now an Asian Games gold medal.
India Retain Asian Games Title
India’s gold in Aichi-Nagoya is the women’s team’s second consecutive Asian Games cricket title. The campaign began with an eight-wicket win over hosts Japan, followed by a 114-run semi-final victory over Bangladesh. India scored 195/4 before dismissing Bangladesh for 81, with Shafali Verma scoring a century. Kamalini scored three runs from 10 balls in that match.
The final was considerably more one-sided. Mandhana and Shafali put together a 99-run opening partnership before Richa Ghosh’s late assault took India beyond 200. India’s bowlers then restricted Sri Lanka to 69, completing a 147-run victory. Reuters reported that Mandhana’s 79 also took her past 11,000 international runs, adding another milestone to an already significant final.
The result also carried wider significance for Indian sport: it opened the country’s gold-medal account at the 2026 Asian Games. For Tamil Nadu, Kamalini’s inclusion in that team brought particular attention to the state’s contribution to India’s women’s cricket pipeline.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Kamalini’s journey from a young player in Tamil Nadu’s domestic system to an Asian Games gold medallist shows how sustained opportunities can help sporting talent progress to the national stage. The ₹75 lakh incentive announced by the Tamil Nadu government also puts the spotlight on the role that institutional recognition can play in encouraging young athletes, particularly women, to pursue competitive sport. At the same time, the achievement belongs to a wider team effort involving players, coaches, families and support systems across different stages of development.
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