Dubai, May 13: After winning the Women's Asia Cup for the fourth time in running in Sri Lanka, India launched its preparations for International Cricket Council (ICC) Women's World Cup 2009 in style.

India defeated Sri Lanka by 177 runs in the final in Kurunegala, extending its winning streak in the history of the tournament to 22 matches.Such was the dominance of the second-ranked team in the world that during the competition it won most of its matches without even breaking sweat. In the run up to the final of the tournament that was played on a double league format, it defeated Bangladesh by 182 runs and five wickets, Pakistan by 182 runs and 207 runs and Sri Lanka by 29 runs and eight wickets.

India's supreme performance in Sri Lanka highlights it as one of the teams to watch at the ICC Women's World Cup that will be staged in Sydney, Australia in March next year.

Besides India, defending champion Australia, New Zealand, England, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will take part in the event that will be the first to be played under the auspices of the ICC since its merger with the International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) in 2005.

UNI