Shafali Verma's Blistering Century Powers India Women Into Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final

India's women's cricket team stormed into the Asian Games 2026 final with a dominant 114-run win over Bangladesh in Sunday's second semi-final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, powered by a sensational century from opener Shafali Verma. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision that paid off emphatically as India piled up 195 for 4 in their 20 overs.

Shafali's Record-Breaking Knock

Shafali Verma was the story of the innings, blasting an unbeaten 100 off just 49 balls studded with nine sixes and three fours. The knock made her the first woman to score a century at the Asian Games and ranks among the joint-fastest hundreds by an Indian woman in T20 International cricket. She found strong support from Harmanpreet Kaur, who chipped in with 40 as the pair took the game away from Bangladesh through the middle overs, repeatedly clearing the boundary at Korogi Sports Park.

Chasing an imposing target, Bangladesh never got going. India's bowlers ran through the batting order, with Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma each picking up three wickets to bundle the opposition out for just 81. The margin of victory, 114 runs, underlined the gap between the two sides on the day and continued India's unbeaten run through the tournament as defending champions.

Final Set for Tuesday

The win sends India through to the gold medal match, where they will face Sri Lanka on Tuesday, September 22. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will take on Pakistan in the bronze medal playoff after their campaign ended at the semi-final stage. For India, the result keeps alive their bid to defend the title they won at the last edition of the Games, and Shafali's innings in particular will boost confidence heading into the summit clash.

A Strong Start to the Campaign

The semi-final win adds to what has already been an encouraging start for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with the women's cricket team yet to drop a match through the group and knockout stages. Shafali's innings, coming on the back of a middling run of form in recent months, will also be seen as a timely return to peak striking ability ahead of a packed international calendar for the Indian team.

With the final now set, attention turns to how India's bowling attack, which has looked sharp through the tournament, matches up against a Sri Lankan side that has also impressed in patches. A gold medal would cap a near-perfect campaign for Harmanpreet Kaur's side and add another feather to a growing list of achievements for Indian women's cricket on the continental stage.

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