Shafali's Blazing Ton Powers India Women into Asian Games Cricket Final
India Women produced a performance of raw dominance on Thursday, crushing Bangladesh by a massive 114 runs to storm into the final of the Asian Games 2026 cricket competition. The star of the show was opener Shafali Verma, who smashed a scintillating 100 off just 49 balls, becoming the first cricketer, male or female, to score a century in Asian Games history.
Batting first, Shafali set the tone from the very first over, taking apart the Bangladesh new-ball attack with a blend of audacious strokeplay and calculated aggression. Her innings, laced with towering sixes and crisp boundaries, propelled India to an imposing 195 for 4 in their allotted overs. Support came from the middle order, but it was Shafali's blitz that left Bangladesh chasing an almost impossible equation from the outset.
Bowlers Seal the Deal
If Shafali's batting was the headline act, India's bowlers ensured there was no twist in the tale. Bangladesh's chase fell apart in dramatic fashion as the Indian pace and spin combination ran through the top and middle order, bundling the opposition out for a paltry 81 in just 15.4 overs. Wickets tumbled at regular intervals, with the fielders backing up the bowlers through sharp catches and tight ground work, leaving Bangladesh with no room to rebuild their innings.
The 114-run victory margin underlines just how comprehensively India controlled proceedings across both innings. CricketBuzz understands that team management will be particularly pleased with the balance shown by the bowling unit, which has now delivered under pressure in consecutive knockout fixtures. With this win, India Women have booked their spot in the gold-medal final, where they will face Sri Lanka in what promises to be a high-stakes summit clash.
Shafali's record-breaking century adds another milestone to her growing list of achievements and will undoubtedly boost India's confidence heading into the final. As CricketBuzz reported earlier this week, the Indian squad has been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, and this semi-final performance only strengthens their credentials as favourites for the gold medal. Stay with CricketBuzz for more updates as India Women prepare for their title showdown against Sri Lanka.