India opener Shafali Verma described her maiden T20 International century as a dream worth waiting for after her explosive unbeaten 100 powered the defending champions into the Asian Games women’s cricket final with a 114-run demolition of Bangladesh on Sunday.
The 22-year-old reached three figures from the final ball of India’s innings at Korogi Sports Park, finishing unbeaten on exactly 100 from 49 deliveries as India piled up 195 for four. Her innings, studded with nine sixes and three fours, was her first century not only in T20Is but across white-ball international cricket. Bangladesh never came close in the chase, folding for 81 in 15.4 overs as India booked a place in Tuesday’s gold-medal match against Sri Lanka.
‘Some dreams worth waiting for’
Shafali later reflected on the milestone in a social media post, saying the hundred meant more to her than she could put into words. “Dreamed it. Manifested it. Worked for it,” she wrote, adding that reaching her first T20I century had required time, patience and belief. She said she felt “blessed and grateful” to have finally experienced the moment before turning her attention towards the final.
The emotions were evident immediately after she reached the landmark. Shafali took off her helmet and raised her bat towards her teammates after completing the century from the last delivery of the innings. Speaking after the match, she acknowledged that the milestone had taken years to arrive. The century came in her 118th T20I for India.
Shafali attacks from start
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur opted to bat after winning the toss, and Shafali and Smriti Mandhana immediately put Bangladesh under pressure. The opening pair raced to 72 before Mandhana was dismissed for 37. Shafali reached her half-century in just 24 balls and continued to attack the Bangladesh bowlers through the middle overs. After Gunalan Kamalini departed for three, Shafali found support from Harmanpreet. The pair added 94 for the third wicket, with the India captain contributing 40.
Shafali became more measured as she approached three figures. With India running out of deliveries, Bharti Fulmali took a single from the penultimate ball, allowing Shafali to retain the strike for the final delivery. A single took her to 100 and completed a landmark innings.
Records tumble
The century made Shafali the first woman to score a hundred in Asian Games cricket. She also became only the fourth Indian woman to register a T20I century. Her nine sixes took her career tally in women’s T20Is to 104, pushing her past Mandhana to become India’s leading six-hitter in the format.
It was a record-breaking day for Mandhana as well. Her 37 took her past New Zealand great Suzie Bates as the highest run-scorer in women’s T20I cricket. Mandhana moved to 4,788 runs, overtaking Bates’ tally of 4,758.
Bangladesh blown away
India’s bowlers ensured Shafali’s century was followed by an equally dominant performance with the ball. Bangladesh were bowled out for 81 in just 15.4 overs, with Nandani Sharma and Deepti Sharma claiming three wickets each. Shree Charani picked up two, while Kranti Gaud and Shreyanka Patil also struck. The 114-run victory was India’s biggest by runs against a full-member nation in women’s T20Is. The result also ensured India will have the opportunity to defend the Asian Games title they won at Hangzhou in 2023.
Sri Lanka await in final
India will face Sri Lanka in Tuesday’s gold-medal match in a repeat of the 2023 Asian Games final. Sri Lanka booked their place by defeating Pakistan by eight wickets in the other semi-final. Captain Chamari Athapaththu led the chase with an unbeaten 83 from 50 balls as Sri Lanka reached their 178-run target with 13 deliveries remaining.
For India, however, Sunday belonged to Shafali. After years of establishing herself as one of the most destructive batters in the shortest format without reaching three figures, the opener finally had the international hundred she had been waiting for — and delivered it in an Asian Games knockout match.