Shafali Verma smashed a 49-ball century as India defeated Bangladesh by 114 runs on Sunday to reach the Asian Games 2026 women’s cricket gold-medal match. India posted 195/4 before bowling Bangladesh out for 81 in 15.4 overs, guaranteeing the defending champions at least a silver medal.
India vs Bangladesh semi-final result
India beat Bangladesh by 114 runs at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The margin was India’s biggest victory by runs against a full-member nation in women’s T20 internationals. The win also sent India into a second successive Asian Games women’s cricket final.
Shafali Verma scores 100 off 49 balls
Shafali was the centrepiece of India’s 195/4, reaching her century in 49 balls. It was her maiden T20 international hundred and the first century in the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games. Her innings turned a knockout match into a one-sided contest and gives her one of the most searchable individual performances of the Games so far.
India’s bowlers finish the job
Bangladesh never found the momentum required for a chase of 196. India kept taking wickets through the innings and dismissed Bangladesh for 81 in 15.4 overs. The 114-run result followed India’s eight-wicket quarter-final victory over hosts Japan, where Shree Charani took 4/10 and Shafali hit an unbeaten 40 from 15 balls.
Who will India play in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final?
India will face Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match on September 22. India enter the final as defending champions after winning the inaugural women’s cricket gold at Hangzhou 2023. Reaching the final already guarantees India another medal, but the target is now back-to-back Asian Games titles.
Why Shafali’s century matters
The century arrives in a high-pressure knockout and gives India a major boost before the final. Shafali had already played the decisive attacking innings against Japan. Against Bangladesh, she converted that form into a landmark hundred while India produced its most emphatic win of the tournament.
India’s cricket medal joins a growing opening-day haul. Follow India’s first Asian Games 2026 shooting medals and the updated India schedule and results tracker for the wider campaign.
What happens next?
The immediate focus shifts to the September 22 final against Sri Lanka. India will have a chance to retain the title and turn an already guaranteed medal into gold. For Shafali, the final is another opportunity to build on a tournament in which she has now produced match-defining innings in both knockout games.
