Riding on Shafali Verma’s record-breaking 100 not out on Sunday, the Indian women’s cricket team assured themselves of at least a silver medal at the Asian Games 2026, after beating Bangladesh by 114 runs in the semifinal at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side will take on Sri Lanka in the final, in a repeat of 2023 edition summit clash.
Having decimated hosts Japan in the quarterfinal, the defending champions dominated from the onset after opting to bat first under cloudy conditions. , who became the highest run-getter in women’s T20Is on the day, departed for 37 after setting the platform, before went bonkers in her 49-ball innings, reaching the milestone on the final delivery.
The India opener went hammer and tongs to clobber nine sixes and three fours during her stay in the middle and became the first woman to score a hundred in the Asian Games. It was also her maiden hundred in the shortest format of the game. India did not find much from their No. 3 Gunalan Kamalini, who fell soon after for a laborious 10-ball 3.
Shafali seemed to be effortlessly clearing the boundaries, while Skipper pierced the gaps with precision to make 40 off 33 balls but it was her 94-run stand off only 55 balls with which took the game away from Bangladesh.
In reply, Bangladesh were all out for 81 in 15.4 overs. Chasing a huge total, Bangladesh were never in the chase and kept on losing wickets at regular intervals, with Nandni Sharma and Deepti Sharma taking three wickets each.
More to follow.
