It was a demolition job at Korogi Sports Park. India women didn’t just win the semi-final; they flattened Bangladesh by 114 runs, securing their place in the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games final. The margin of victory is the second-largest in women’s T20I history at the multi-sport event, signaling that the defending champions are in ruthless form.
The engine of the innings was Shafali Verma. She smashed 100 off just 49 balls, including nine sixes, to become the first player to score a century in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. Before she took over, Smriti Mandhana laid the foundation with a sharp 37 off 18 balls. That brief partnership sparked a 71-run powerplay surge, which essentially handed Bangladesh a target they had no business chasing. Mandhana also crossed a historic milestone in the process, becoming the leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is and the first Indian woman to hit 100 sixes in the format.
Bangladesh’s chase collapsed faster than expected. They slumped to 9/2 early, and despite Dilara Akter’s resilient 27 off 23 balls, the rest of the lineup couldn’t build any momentum. Eight batters were dismissed for single digits, a statistic that highlights the total lack of resistance offered against India’s attack.
The bowling attack was surgical. Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma shared the honors, picking up three wickets each. Nandani finished with figures of 3/25, while Deepti was devastatingly economical with 3/7. Shree Charani added 2/7 to complete the rout, as Bangladesh were bowled out for a paltry 81 in 15.4 overs.
Now, the focus shifts to the title defense. India will face Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match on September 22. Sri Lanka booked their ticket by thrashing Pakistan by eight wickets in the earlier semi-final. For India, the goal is simple: reclaim the gold they won in 2022.