Aichi-Nagoya [Japan], September 20 (ANI): Indian opener Shafali Verma expressed happiness after cracking a match-winning century in the Asian Games cricket tournament finals against Bangladesh, highlighting the “time, patience and belief” which took her to achieve her maiden T20I ton and how the journey was worth it.
Shafali continued her impressive run in T20Is this year and cracked another incredible contribution in a knockout game, sealing for India a gold medal clash against Sri Lanka at the ongoing Asian Games. Her 49-ball 100* was laced with three fours and nine sixes and is also her first-ever international cricket ton.
Posting on Instagram, “Dreamed it. Manifested it. Worked for it. Hitting my first ever T20I hundred meant more than I can put into words. It took a lot of time, patience and belief, but some dreams are worth waiting for. Feeling truly blessed and grateful to finally live this moment. Now, onto the Finals.”
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Coming to the match, India opted to bat first, posting 195/4, with Shafali (100* off 49 balls, with three fours and nine sixes) getting crucial support from her opening partner Smriti Mandhana (37 off 19 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (40 off 33 balls, with six fours).
During the chase, Bangladesh was skittled out for 81 in 15.4 overs, with Deepti Sharma (3/7), Nandani Sharma (3/25), and Sree Charani (2/7) being the pick of the bowlers.
Now in 118 T20Is and 117 innings, Shafali has scored 3,277 runs at an average of 30.06 and a strike rate of 140.70, with a century and 21 fifties, with a best score of 100*.
Shafali’s century made her the third centurion for India Women in T20Is. Before her, Smriti Mandhana held the record for the highest individual score for India Women with 124 against Hong Kong in Dubai in 2026, followed by her 112 against England at Trent Bridge in 2025 and Harmanpreet Kaur’s 103 against New Zealand in Providence in 2018.
With her nine sixes against Bangladesh, Shafali also moved up the list of most sixes in women’s T20Is. She now has 104 sixes in the format, joining the elite list led by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and West Indies’ Deandra Dottin, who have 134 sixes each. Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu is third with 120 sixes, while Smriti Mandhana has 100 sixes.
Shafali also became one of the batters with the most 50-plus scores in a calendar year in women’s T20Is. Her eight 50-plus scores in 2026 equalled Smriti Mandhana’s record of eight such scores in 2024. Mithali Raj (seven in 2018) and Hong Kong’s Natasha Miles (seven in 2026) are next on the list.
The Indian opener has also been among the leading run-scorers in women’s T20Is this year. With 815 runs in 2026, Shafali is second on the calendar-year run-scoring list behind South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt (824), while Natasha Miles is third with 800 runs.
Shafali’s 35 sixes in 2026 are the most in a calendar year in women’s T20Is in terms of frequency, with a six coming every 14.31 balls. She is followed by Chamari Athapaththu, who hit 32 sixes in 2024 at a rate of one six every 17.75 balls.
Her 49-ball hundred also places her among the fastest centuries in women’s T20Is among teams with Full Member status. West Indies’ Deandra Dottin holds the record for the fastest century, scoring 100 off 38 balls against South Africa in 2010, while Shafali’s effort is tied with Harmanpreet Kaur’s 49-ball hundred against New Zealand in 2018.
Verma has continued to deliver in high-pressure knockout matches for India, producing impactful performances across recent tournaments. In her last five knockout appearances, Verma has scored 87 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 consistency and ability to perform on the big stage. (ANI)
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