India Dominates Bangladesh to Reach Asian Games Women’s Cricket Final
In a thrilling semifinal match at the Asian Games, India secured a resounding victory over Bangladesh, winning by 114 runs and booking a spot in the gold medal match. The match took place on Sunday in Nisshin, with India finishing their innings at 195 for 4 after being put to bat first.
Shafali Verma stole the show with her remarkable performance, scoring an unbeaten 100 runs off just 49 balls. This achievement made her the first cricketer in the history of women’s cricket at the Asian Games to hit a century. Her explosive innings included three boundaries and nine towering sixes, showcasing her powerful hitting abilities.
Shafali’s century is not just a personal milestone; it is only the third hundred by an Indian female cricketer in T20 internationals, joining the ranks of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. Remarkably, she matched Harmanpreet’s record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian woman, which was previously set in 2018.
The nine sixes hit by Shafali also tied the record for the most sixes in a women’s T20I innings, placing her alongside notable West Indies players Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews. In 2026, Shafali has already crossed over 800 runs in T20Is, continuing her impressive form throughout the year.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur supported Shafali with a solid contribution of 40 runs from 33 balls, while Smriti Mandhana added 37 runs off just 19 balls, helping India build a strong total. Shafali’s explosive start saw her reach fifty in just 26 balls, and she kept the pressure on Bangladesh, eventually bringing up her century with a six and earning a warm standing ovation from the crowd.
Bowling Excellence
In response, Bangladesh struggled to keep up with the run chase and were bowled out for a mere 81 runs in just 15.4 overs. India’s bowlers, particularly Deepti Sharma and Nandani Sharma, were impressive, each claiming three wickets. Deepti stood out with exceptional economy, finishing with figures of 3 for 7 in just 2.4 overs.
With this victory, India has advanced to the gold medal match scheduled for September 22, where they aim to defend their title after winning gold in women’s cricket at the previous 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. They will face Sri Lanka, who triumphed over Pakistan in the first semifinal, chasing down a target of 178 runs comfortably.
Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, led her team’s charge with an unbeaten 83 runs off 50 balls, while Pakistan’s Ayesha Zafar and Shawaal Zulfiqar had earlier set a strong target with their solid performances.
As the stage is set for an exciting India-Sri Lanka final, Pakistan and Bangladesh will clash for the bronze medal on the same day.
This article was published by Akshay Ramesh on September 20, 2026.
