A blazing Shafali Verma century led the Indian women’s cricket team to a 114-run semi-final victory over Bangladesh in Aichi, Nisshin on Sunday, placing them within one win of the Asian Games 2026 gold medal.
At Aichi-Nagoya 2026, India are the defending Asian Games cricket champions, having won gold at Hangzhou 2023. They will face Sri Lanka, who beat Pakistan in the other semis fixture, in the gold medal match on Tuesday in what will be a repeat of the final from three years back.
After Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat, India rode on Shafali Verma’s maiden international century – the first-ever in Asian Games women’s cricket – to put up a formidable 195/4 on the board.
Bangladesh were all out for just 81 in 15.4 overs as Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma picked up three wickets each.
At the Korogi Athletic Park, India’s openers got off to a brisk start with Smriti Mandhana hitting a big milestone in the third over.
Mandhana hit Marufa Akter for a boundary in the third over to become the highest run scorer in women’s T20I history, surpassing New Zealand’s Suzie Bates, who retired after the T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this year.
The 30-year-old Indian opener scored a 19-ball-37 before being caught in the deep off Nahida Akter. Gunalan Kamalini’s stay out in the middle was short-lived as she was dismissed for three.
Shafali, however, brought up her fifty in 24 balls with a maximum off Nahida Akter – her 100th six in T20I cricket. She then plucked Marufa for 22 in the 15th over to take India to 150/2.
Harmanpreet was stumped while trying to step out to Rabeya Khan in the 18th over after a steady 33-ball 40. Richa Ghosh fell cheaply shortly after as India’s momentum stalled in the final couple of overs.
Shafali, however, brought up her ton in the final delivery of the innings off just 49 balls – the joint-fastest century by an Indian in women’s T20Is alongside Harmanpreet.
Indian pacers Nandani Sharma and Kranti Gaud struck inside the first three overs, dismissing Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary, respectively, as Bangladesh were reduced to 9/2.
Dilara Akter and captain Nigar Sultana mounted a brief Bangladeshi fightback before Shree Charani struck to remove the opposition skipper, breaking a 29-run partnership.
Wickets tumbled like dominoes after that as the Bangladeshi line-up crumbled for 81. Nandani Sharma (3/21), Deepti Sharma (3/7) and Sree Charani (2/7) produced impressive spells with the ball.
Dilara Akter was the Bangladesh cricket team’s top scorer with 27.
IND-W vs BAN-W, Asian Games 2026 women’s cricket semi-final brief scores: India Women 195/4 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 100 not out; Sanjida Akter Meghla 1/25) beat Bangladesh 81/10 in 15.4 overs (Dilara Akter 27; Deepti Sharma 3/7, Nandani Sharma 3/25) by 114 runs.