Record Asian Games Century
Shafali Verma hits historic century to lead India into Asian Games final
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Key Points
1
Verma’s century came after a rapid start: she reached her fifty in 24 balls and completed the hundred with a single off Shorna Akter on the final delivery of India’s innings.
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She shared a 72-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, who scored 37, before adding 94 for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 40 from 33 balls.
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Verma’s unbeaten 100 comprised three fours and nine sixes at a strike rate of 204.08, while India maintained a scoring rate of 9.75 runs per over in reaching 195 for 4.
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Her 104 career T20I sixes placed her fourth on the all-time women’s list, behind Chamari Athapaththu’s 120 and the joint-leading tallies of Sophie Devine and Deandra Dottin, who each have 134.
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The innings followed Verma’s unbeaten 40 from 15 balls against Japan in the quarterfinal, extending the aggressive form she had shown during India’s Asia Cup campaign.
Shafali Verma made history at the Asian Games 2026 semifinal, smashing an unbeaten 100 off just 49 balls against Bangladesh. The 22-year-old became the first Indian woman to score a century at the Asian Games and only the third Indian woman ever to hit a T20I hundred, according to Sports Cape Magazine. Her explosive innings featured nine sixes and three fours at a strike rate of 204.08, helping India post 195 for 4.
Verma's century also moved her to 104 career T20I sixes, surpassing Smriti Mandhana's Indian record of 100 and placing her fourth on the all-time women's list, per Cricket Today. The innings capped her brilliant form in the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, where she scored 236 runs as India won the tournament.
A Fifty in 24 Balls Sets the Stage
Verma came out swinging from the first over, reaching her fifty in just 24 balls. The Statesman reported she shared a 72-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, who contributed a steady 37. The aggressive start gave India momentum early, with Verma taking calculated risks against Bangladesh's bowlers.
After Mandhana's departure, Verma shifted gears further. She added 94 runs for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who made 40 off 33 balls. Daily Hunt noted that Verma completed her hundred on the final delivery of India's innings with a single off Shorna Akter, finishing with a flawless unbeaten 100.
Nine Sixes Power India to 195 for 4
Verma's unbeaten 100 comprised nine sixes and three fours. India TV News reported her strike rate of 204.08 was among the fastest at the Asian Games cricket competition. India maintained a scoring rate of 9.75 runs per over throughout the innings, putting Bangladesh under immediate pressure from ball one.
The 195-run total set a new record for the highest individual score in the women's cricket competition at the Asian Games. Verma's aggression in the middle overs proved decisive, as Bangladesh struggled to contain her hitting on both sides of the wicket.
Fourth on All-Time Women's Six List
With 104 career T20I sixes, Verma now ranks fourth among all women cricketers. Cricket Today noted she trails only Chamari Athapaththu's 120 sixes and the joint-leading totals of Sophie Devine and Deandra Dottin, who each have 134. Her rise on the all-time list reflects her consistent power-hitting approach.
This century marks Verma's third consecutive match of dominant batting at the 2026 Games. She remained unbeaten on 40 off 15 balls against Japan in the quarterfinal, showing the form that made her India's leading run-scorer in the Asia Cup campaign with 236 runs total.
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