India Women stormed into the Asian Games 2026 cricket final after producing a commanding 114-run victory over Bangladesh Women in the second semifinal at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, on Sunday.

The match belonged to Shafali Verma, who smashed a breathtaking unbeaten century, while India’s bowlers then combined to dismantle Bangladesh’s chase. India posted 195/4 in 20 overs before restricting Bangladesh to 81 in 15.4 overs, sealing a comprehensive win and a place in the gold-medal match.

Shafali Verma creates history with maiden T20I century

Shafali was the driving force behind India’s imposing total. The aggressive opener remained unbeaten on 100 off 49 balls, producing an innings packed with powerful strokes.

Her knock included three fours and nine sixes, allowing India to maintain a high scoring rate throughout the innings. More importantly, Shafali’s century made her the first cricketer to score a century in Asian Games cricket, adding another remarkable milestone to an already memorable performance.

The century also came at a crucial stage of the competition. With India needing a strong performance to reach the final, Shafali ensured Bangladesh’s bowlers were under pressure from the beginning.

She reached her fifty in 26 balls before accelerating further during the second half of the innings. Her hundred arrived from 49 deliveries, providing India with the perfect platform to finish strongly.

Smriti Mandhana provides India an explosive start

Shafali was well supported at the top by Smriti Mandhana, who played an aggressive cameo before her dismissal.

The opening pair added 72 runs for the first wicket, giving India exactly the start they wanted after Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat first. Mandhana scored 37 from 19 balls, striking five fours and two sixes.

Although India lost wickets during the middle overs, Shafali ensured that the scoring momentum never disappeared.

Harmanpreet also played an important supporting role, scoring 40 from 33 balls. Her partnership with Shafali helped India maintain control before the lower order completed the final push.

India eventually finished on 195/4, leaving Bangladesh with a challenging target of 196.

Bangladesh’s batters struggle against India’s bowlers

Bangladesh’s chase never gained momentum.

India’s bowlers repeatedly struck at crucial moments, preventing Bangladesh from establishing partnerships. The pressure created by the massive target was compounded by India’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding.

Bangladesh slipped to 56/6, with the required run rate climbing beyond reach. Dilara Akter provided some resistance with 27, but India continued to pick up wickets around her.

The middle and lower order were unable to produce the sustained attack needed to challenge India’s total.

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Nandani Sharma leads the Indian bowling attack

Young bowler Nandani Sharma was one of the standout performers with the ball.

She claimed three wickets for 17 runs, causing significant damage during the middle overs. Her spell helped India keep Bangladesh firmly on the back foot and ensured the chase never developed into a contest.

Deepti Sharma also contributed with two wickets, while Shreyanka Patil and the rest of the attack maintained pressure throughout the innings.

Bangladesh were eventually dismissed for 81, handing India an emphatic 114-run victory.

The Women in Blue will now turn their attention to the final, carrying the confidence of a dominant semifinal performance. With the batting firing and the bowling unit delivering under pressure, India Blue have taken another major step towards finishing their Asian Games campaign with a gold medal.

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.