Shafali Verma Hits 100 as India Crush Bangladesh by 114 Runs in Asian Games Semi-Final
NISSHIN, Japan — India reached the women’s cricket gold-medal match at the Asian Games 2026 with a commanding 114-run victory over Bangladesh on Sunday, September 20.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat at Korogi Sports Park, India posted 195/4 from 20 overs. Shafali Verma provided the defining innings of the semifinal, finishing unbeaten on 100 from 49 balls with three fours and nine sixes.
Bangladesh never came close to the target. The team was bowled out for 81 in 15.4 overs, sending India through to the final against Sri Lanka.
The result also guarantees India at least a silver medal as they continue their defence of the women’s cricket title won at the previous Asian Games.
Shafali Verma Produces a Landmark Innings
Shafali’s century was the centrepiece of India’s batting effort.
The opener attacked from the beginning and reached three figures from 49 deliveries. Her innings contained nine sixes and three fours, giving her a strike rate of 204.08.
It was Shafali’s maiden T20I century and the first century recorded in the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games.
She received strong support from Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order. The pair put on 72 runs for the opening wicket before Mandhana was dismissed for 37 from 19 balls.
Harmanpreet Kaur then joined Shafali and added 40 from 33 deliveries. Their partnership kept India’s scoring rate high through the middle overs.
Richa Ghosh made two before being dismissed, while Bharti Fulmali remained unbeaten on nine from five balls as India finished on 195/4.
Bangladesh’s Chase Collapses
Bangladesh needed 196 to reach the gold-medal match but lost wickets regularly during the chase.
Only three Bangladesh batters reached double figures, with Dilara Akter top-scoring with 27 from 23 balls.
India’s bowling attack kept Bangladesh under pressure throughout the innings. Nandni Sharma and Deepti Sharma took three wickets each, while Shree Charani claimed two.
Deepti was particularly economical, conceding only seven runs from 2.4 overs.
Bangladesh eventually lost all 10 wickets for 81 runs in 15.4 overs, giving India one of their largest victories of the tournament.
India Set Up Final Against Sri Lanka
India’s semifinal victory means the defending champions will meet Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match on September 22.
Sri Lanka had earlier defeated Pakistan by eight wickets in the first semifinal. Chamari Athapaththu scored an unbeaten 83 as Sri Lanka chased Pakistan’s 177/4 with two wickets down in 17.5 overs.
The final therefore brings together two teams that also met in the Women’s Asia Cup final earlier in September. India won that match in Dubai by 72 runs on September 13.
India entered the Asian Games as defending women’s cricket champions after winning gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
Mandhana Reaches Another T20I Milestone
The semifinal also produced a major individual milestone for Smriti Mandhana.
Her 37-run innings took her past New Zealand’s Suzie Bates to become the leading run-scorer in women’s T20I cricket.
Mandhana’s contribution ended earlier than she would have wanted, but India’s opening partnership had already established the platform for Shafali to attack later in the innings.
For Bangladesh, the defeat ends their hopes of competing for gold. They will instead play Pakistan in the bronze-medal match on September 22.
What Happens Next
India will face Sri Lanka in the Asian Games women’s cricket final at Korogi Sports Park on Tuesday, September 22.
The gold-medal match is scheduled for 2 p.m. local time in Japan, or 10:30 a.m. IST.
Bangladesh will meet Pakistan earlier that day in the bronze-medal playoff.
India will enter the final with the opportunity to retain the Asian Games women’s cricket title. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, will be seeking to turn their semifinal victory over Pakistan into gold.
For Bangladesh, the focus now shifts to the bronze-medal match after a semifinal in which India’s 195 and Shafali Verma’s unbeaten century proved too much to overcome.
