Shafali Verma’s Historic Ton Fires India into Asian Games Final with Crushing Win over Bangladesh
NISSHIN, JAPAN: The Indian women’s cricket team delivered a masterclass at the Korogi Sports Park on Wednesday, dismantling Bangladesh by a massive 114 runs to secure their place in the gold-medal match of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. By booking their ticket to the final, the defending champions have guaranteed themselves at least a silver medal, inching one step closer to retaining their continental title.
Shafali’s Spectacular Century Powers India
After captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to bat first on a pristine surface, the Indian openers set the tone immediately. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma launched a ferocious assault on the Bangladeshi bowling attack, accumulating 71 runs within the six-over powerplay.
Mandhana’s stay was brief but record-breaking. Her sparkling 37 off just 18 deliveries saw her surpass a significant milestone, becoming the highest run-scorer in women’s T20I history. Additionally, she etched her name in the history books as the first Indian female cricketer to smash 100 sixes in the shortest format.
Once Mandhana departed, the stage was set for Shafali Verma to etch her legacy. The explosive opener put on a batting exhibition, hammering a sensational 100 off 49 balls. Her blistering innings—studded with nine towering sixes and three boundaries—made her the first-ever centurion in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. With skipper Harmanpreet Kaur providing a steady hand by contributing 40 runs off 33 balls, India posted a mammoth total of 195/4, leaving Bangladesh with a daunting mountain to climb.
Bowlers Complete the Rout
Facing a required run rate of nearly ten an over, the Bangladeshi lineup crumbled under the weight of the massive target and the relentless pressure from the Indian bowlers. The innings got off to a disastrous start as they slumped to 9/2 early on. While Dilara Akter attempted to stem the tide with a gritty 27 off 23 balls, the rest of the batting order offered little resistance.
In a display of total bowling dominance, eight of the eleven Bangladeshi batters failed to reach double digits. The Indian attack proved too sophisticated to handle, with Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma dismantling the middle and lower order with clinical precision. Nandani claimed 3/25, while Deepti was near-unplayable, returning figures of 3/7. Shree Charani also joined the party, picking up 2/7 to help wrap up the innings for a paltry 81 runs in just 15.4 overs.
A High-Stakes Final Against Sri Lanka
The victory sets the stage for a mouth-watering gold-medal clash on September 22. India will lock horns with Sri Lanka, who secured their own final berth after dispatching Pakistan by eight wickets in the tournament’s first semi-final.
As the Indian contingent looks to replicate their gold-medal heroics from the 2022 edition, the upcoming final against an in-form Sri Lankan side promises to be the tournament’s ultimate test. Meanwhile, Bangladesh will look to salvage their campaign in the bronze-medal playoff against Pakistan.
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