Daijiworld Media Network - Nisshin
Nisshin, Sep 20: A scintillating century from Shafali Verma and a dominant bowling display powered India women to a comprehensive 114-run victory over Bangladesh in the Asian Games semifinal on Sunday, setting up a gold-medal clash against Sri Lanka.
Shafali smashed her maiden white-ball century and became the first female cricketer to score a hundred in the Asian Games as her unbeaten 100 helped India post a commanding 195/4.
The bowlers then completed the job, with Nandni Sharma and Deepti Sharma claiming three wickets each and No. 1-ranked T20I bowler Sree Charani taking two as Bangladesh were bowled out for 81 in 15.4 overs.
Harmanpreet Kaur's Indian side will now face Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lanka in Tuesday's gold-medal final. The match will be a repeat of the previous Asian Games final as well as the recently concluded Women's Asia Cup final.
India are the defending Asian Games champions, having won the gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
India got off to a flying start after opting to bat, with Shafali and Smriti Mandhana putting on 72 for the opening wicket during the powerplay.
Mandhana scored 37 off 19 balls before slicing a delivery to deep mid-wicket off the final ball of the powerplay.
G Kamalini struggled during her brief stay and was dismissed for three after holing out to deep mid-wicket.
Shafali, however, continued her assault and was joined by Harmanpreet, who held one end while the opener attacked the Bangladesh bowling.
Shafali completed her maiden limited-overs century off the final ball of the innings, taking a single off Shorna Akter. Her unbeaten 100 came off 55 balls and included three fours and nine sixes, taking India close to the 200-run mark.
Her nine sixes also gave Shafali the record for most sixes by a woman cricketer in T20Is in a calendar year. She moved past Sri Lanka captain Athapaththu and now has 35 sixes in 2026.
Before the match, Shafali had 26 sixes in the year, six behind Athapaththu's 32 maximums in 2024. Her explosive semifinal knock took her past the Sri Lankan captain.
India's bowlers then dismantled the Bangladesh batting line-up.
Nandni Sharma struck with her first delivery in the second over, having Juairiya Ferdous caught at cover for a golden duck. Kranti Gaud soon removed Sobhana Mostary, who miscued a pull to mid-wicket and departed for four.
Dilara Akter briefly counter-attacked, hitting Nandni for a four and six before taking two boundaries off Kranti.
Sree Charani then dismissed Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana, caught at mid-on for nine.
India continued to strike regularly, with Shreyanka Patil removing Shorna Akter for five in the seventh over to leave Bangladesh struggling at 43/4.
Deepti Sharma and Nandni then accounted for the next three wickets. Deepti dismissed Dilara for 27 before Nandni claimed two wickets in two balls in the 11th over, removing Nahida Akter caught and bowled and then cleaning up Rabeya Khan.
Charani added another wicket in the 14th over when Sharmim Akhter was stumped.
Deepti completed the formalities in the 16th over by dismissing Marufa Akter and Shanjida Akter Meghla to bowl Bangladesh out for 81 and seal India's 114-run victory.
India will face Sri Lanka in the gold-medal final on Tuesday, while Bangladesh will take on Pakistan in the bronze-medal match on the same day.
Brief scores:
India 195/4 in 20 overs: Shafali Verma 100*, Harmanpreet Kaur 40; Shanjida Akter Meghla 1/25, Rabeya Khan 1/35.
Bangladesh 81 all out in 15.4 overs: Dilara Akter 27; Deepti Sharma 3/7, Nandni Sharma 3/25, Sree Charani 2/7.
India won by 114 runs.