Asian Games: India Women beat Bangladesh to reach final (cricket)
What's the story
India's women's cricket team has made it to the finals of the Asian Games 2026 after a dominating performance against Bangladesh. The match was held on Sunday and saw Shafali Verma, scoring her maiden T20I century, an unbeaten 100 off just 49 balls. This stellar innings led India to a massive total of 195/4 in the semifinal clash. They went on to register a 114-run victory.
Match highlights
Shafali powers Team India
Opting to bat first under cloudy conditions, India dominated the match from the start.
Smriti Mandhana, who became the highest run-getter in women's T20Is on this day, scored 37 runs.
However, it was Shafali who stole the show with her explosive innings.
She hit nine sixes and three fours during her stay at the crease and became the first woman to score a century in Asian Games cricket history.
Team performance
A comprehensive show from bowlers
Along with Shafali's century, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur also contributed significantly with a knock of 40 runs off 33 balls.
The duo shared a 94-run partnership off just 55 balls, which took the game away from Bangladesh.
In reply to India's huge total, Bangladesh were bundled out for just 81 runs in 15.4 overs.
Nandni Sharma and Deepti Sharma were the stars with the ball for India, picking up three wickets each.
Opener Dilara Akter (27) was the only Bangladesh batter to score over 15.
Final showdown
India assure themselves of at least a silver medal
With this win, the Indian women's cricket team has assured itself of at least a silver medal at the Asian Games 2026.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will take on Sri Lanka in the final, repeating their summit clash from the 2023 edition.
In their last encounter at the Women's Asia Cup 2026 in Dubai, India had won by a whopping 72 runs.
Verma
Maiden hundred for the batter
Verma's 100* off 49 balls was laced with three fours and nine sixes.
She has now become the batter with the joint-most sixes in a WT20I innings, as per Cricbuzz.
The opener also became the third Indian after Mandhana (2) and Kaur (1) with a WT20I ton.
With 815 runs at an average of 38.80 and a strike rate of 162.67 in 2026, she has become the batter with the second-most WT20I runs in a calendar year (100: 1, 50s: 7).
Verma has also become the batter with the most WT20I sixes in a year (35).
Stats
100 sixes in the format
Verma also went past 100 WT20I sixes during her stay, becoming the second Indian with this milestone.
Her tally of 104 such hits is now the most for an Indian. Mandhana takes the second spot with 100 sixes.
Overall, Verma has raced to 3,277 runs from 118 WT20Is at an average of 30.06 (SR: 140.70). This includes 22 scores of 50 or more.
Mandhana
Mandhana becomes highest run-scorer in Women's T20Is
Mandhana scored 37 off 19 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes.
The 30-year-old has gone past New Zealand legend Suzie Bates's record of 4,758 runs to become the batter with the most WT20I runs.
Mandhana has played 178 T20Is, scoring a total of 4,788 runs at an average of 30.69 and a strike rate of 126.90 (100s: 2, 50s: 36).
With her second and final maximum against Bangladesh, Mandhana also completed a century of WT20I sixes.
Information
A fine hand from the skipper
Kaur also powered her team with a fine cameo - 40 off 33 balls. She hit six fours. From 209 WT20Is and from 187 innings, she has 4,327 runs at an average of 30.25 (100s: 1, 50s: 18). She is the most capped player in the format.
Deepti
Deepti owns the most WT20I wickets
Deepti, the highest wicket-taker in WT20I history, bowled just 2.4 overs and returned with 3/7.
With this effort, she has now amassed 186 scalps from 156 matches at an average of 18.43. Her economy rate is 6.24.
Versus Bangladesh, the spinner has picked 17 wickets from as many matches at 16.29.
34 of her wickets have come across 23 games this year at 15.91.
Information
Three wickets for Nandani
Pacer Nandani Sharma bowled a stellar spell, finishing with 3/25 from her four overs. This spell took her to 17 wickets across 13 WT20Is at an average of 15.82. Her economy is 6.86.
Charani
Two strikes for Shree Charani
The in-form Shree Charani also made a mark, scalping 2/7 in three overs.
From 32 WT20I matches, Charani now owns 60 scalps at 12.76. Her ER reads 6.42.
With a four-fer in India's tournament opener, Charani became the first bowler from a Full Member nation to complete 40 WT20I wickets in a calendar year.
She has now raced to 45 scalps at an average of 10.60.