India Qualify For Women's Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final; Defending Champions Seal Gold Medal Clash with Sri Lanka
India Women have qualified for the Women's Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final after a resounding victory over Bangladesh Women in the semi-final at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin. Shafali Verma's historic maiden T20I century (100 off 49 balls) propelled India to 195/4, a total Bangladesh failed to chase.
The Indian Women's cricket team has emphatically secured its spot in the gold medal match of the Women's Asian Games 2026, following a dominant performance against Bangladesh Women in the second semi-final held today at the Korogi Sports Park. A blistering century from opener Shafali Verma set the tone for India's formidable total, ultimately leading to a comfortable victory and a place in the final against Sri Lanka. Shafali Verma Creates History As India Opener Becomes First Woman Cricketer To Score Asian Games Century.
India Qualify For Women's Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final
𝙄𝙉𝙏𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙇 ✌️
A dominant 1⃣1⃣4⃣-run victory for #TeamIndia 💥
They are all set to face Sri Lanka next in the Gold Medal match 🏅⏳
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/zMJKYRAVhE#AsianGames pic.twitter.com/ZIi2hTFv3A
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) September 20, 2026
India's Batting Blitz
Electing to bat first, India posted a commanding 195 for 4 in their allotted 20 overs. The innings was anchored by a spectacular performance from Shafali Verma, who blazed her way to a maiden T20I century. Her 100 runs came off just 49 balls, decorated with three fours and nine towering sixes, marking a historic achievement as the first woman batter to score a century in the Asian Games.
Verma was ably supported by an explosive start from Smriti Mandhana, who contributed 37 runs off just 18 deliveries. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also played a crucial role, adding a composed 40 runs from 33 balls to ensure India reached a near-unassailable score.
Bangladesh's Struggle in Chase
Faced with a steep chase of 196, Bangladesh suffered early setbacks under the pressure of the mounting required run rate. India's seam-and-spin combination consistently restricted boundary opportunities, preventing Bangladesh’s top order from developing decisive partnerships.
Medium pacer Nandani Sharma delivered a standout spell, claiming three crucial wickets to dismantle Bangladesh’s middle order and stall any counter-attacking momentum. Deepti Sharma continued her superb form, picking a 3-fer, while Shree Charani claimed two wickets for herself. For Bangla Tigresses no other batters expect Dilara Akter (27), Sharmin Akhter (10) and Sultana Khatun (12) manged to cross the double figure mark as Bangladesh were bowled out for 81, falling 114 runs short. Smriti Mandhana Becomes Leading Run-Getter in Women's T20I History, Achieves Feat During Asian Games Japan 2026.
Road to the Final
India's victory ensures they will now face Sri Lanka in the Women's Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final. Sri Lanka secured their spot earlier today by defeating Pakistan in the first semi-final.
The final promises to be an exciting encounter, with India looking to defend their gold medal title, having beaten Sri Lanka in the 2022 Asian Games final. India also holds a significant head-to-head advantage against Sri Lanka in T20 Internationals, winning 25 out of 31 encounters.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 20, 2026 01:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
