Shafali Verma Shines with Century in Asian Games Cricket Finals
Shafali Verma's Remarkable Achievement
Indian cricketer Shafali Verma expressed her joy after scoring a match-winning century in the finals of the Asian Games cricket tournament against Bangladesh. She emphasized the importance of 'time, patience, and belief' in achieving her first T20I century, stating that the journey was truly rewarding. Verma's outstanding performance continued her impressive streak in T20Is this year, helping India secure a gold medal match against Sri Lanka. Her innings of 100 not out off 49 balls included three fours and nine sixes, marking her first international cricket century.
Match Overview
In the match, India chose to bat first, scoring 195 runs for the loss of four wickets. Shafali's innings was supported by her opening partner Smriti Mandhana, who scored 37 runs off 19 balls, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who contributed 40 runs off 33 balls. Bangladesh struggled in their chase, getting bowled out for just 81 runs in 15.4 overs. Deepti Sharma (3 wickets for 7 runs), Nandani Sharma (3 wickets for 25 runs), and Sree Charani (2 wickets for 7 runs) were the standout bowlers for India.
Verma's Record-Breaking Century
With this achievement, Shafali Verma has now played 118 T20Is and scored 3,277 runs at an average of 30.06 and a strike rate of 140.70, including one century and 21 fifties, with her highest score being 100 not out.
Joining the Elite Club
Shafali's century makes her the third Indian woman to score a century in T20Is. Previously, Smriti Mandhana held the record for the highest individual score by an Indian woman with 124 runs against Hong Kong in 2026, followed by her 112 against England in 2025 and Harmanpreet Kaur's 103 against New Zealand in 2018.
Climbing the Six-Hitting Ladder
With her nine sixes against Bangladesh, Shafali has climbed the ranks in the list of most sixes in women's T20Is. She now has a total of 104 sixes, joining the ranks of New Zealand's Sophie Devine and West Indies' Deandra Dottin, who each have 134 sixes. Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu follows with 120 sixes, while Smriti Mandhana has 100.
Outstanding Year Performance
Shafali has also been among the top scorers in women's T20Is this year, with 815 runs, placing her second on the calendar-year run-scoring list, just behind South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt, who has 824 runs. Natasha Miles is third with 800 runs. Additionally, her 35 sixes in 2026 are the most in a calendar year for women's T20Is, with a six every 14.31 balls.
Among the Fastest Centuries
Her 49-ball century ranks her among the fastest centuries in women's T20Is for Full Member nations. The record for the fastest century is held by West Indies' Deandra Dottin, who scored 100 off 38 balls against South Africa in 2010. Shafali's achievement ties with Harmanpreet Kaur's 49-ball century against New Zealand in 2018.
Knockout Specialist
Verma has consistently excelled in high-pressure knockout matches for India. In her last five knockout appearances, she scored 87 runs off 78 balls in the World Cup final, 64 off 40 in the Asia Cup semi-final, 68 off 39 in the Asia Cup final, 40 off 16 in the Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal, and 100 off 49 in the Asian Games 2026 semi-final, showcasing her ability to perform under pressure.