Full Breakdown
Smriti Mandhana Becomes All-Time T20I Run Leader as India Storms into Asian Games Women’s Cricket Final
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Semifinal Showdown: India vs Bangladesh (September 20 2026)
India faced Bangladesh at the Korogi Athletic Park ground in Nagoya, Japan. The Indian side posted 195/4 in 20 overs, propelled by Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 100 off 49 balls (nine sixes, three fours) and Smriti Mandhana’s quick 37 off 19 balls (five fours, two sixes). Bangladesh were bowled out for 81 in 15.4 overs, giving India a 114-run victory and a place in the gold-medal match.
Records Broken
- Mandhana’s career tally rose to 4,788 runs from 171 innings, overtaking New Zealand all-rounder Suzie Bates’s previous record of 4,758 runs and making her the highest run-scorer in women’s T20 internationals.
- Verma’s century was the first women’s T20I hundred in Asian Games history and the first hundred by any woman in the Games. Her nine sixes matched the most ever hit in a women’s T20I innings (previously held by Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin). The knock also raised her season total to 35 sixes, surpassing Chamari Athapaththu’s 32 sixes in 2024, the most by a woman in a calendar year.
Data & Statistics
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| India total | 195/4 (20 overs) |
| Bangladesh total | 81 all out (15.4 overs) |
| Victory margin | 114 runs |
| Shafali Verma | 100* (49 balls, 9 sixes, 3 fours) |
| Smriti Mandhana | 37 (19 balls, 5 fours, 2 sixes) |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 40 (33 balls) |
| Nandani Sharma (Ind) | 3/25 (4 overs) |
| Deepti Sharma (Ind) | 3/7 (2.4 overs) |
| Shree Charani (Ind) | 2/7 (3 overs) |
| Bangladesh top scorer | Dilara Akter 27 (23 balls) |
| Bangladesh best bowler | Sanjida Akter Meghla 1/25 |
Background & Context
India entered the Asian Games as the defending champions, having secured the gold medal at the 2023 Games in Hangzhou. Earlier in the month, Mandhana had already topped the overall run-scoring charts after a 124-run knock in the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai, overtaking former India captain Mithali Raj’s long-standing record. The semifinal therefore offered both a chance to retain the title and an opportunity for emerging talent to make history.
Impact
The dominant performance underscores India’s depth in the batting order, with Verma’s maiden century signalling her arrival as a match-winning force. Mandhana’s record further cements her status as the leading run-maker in the format, highlighting the sustained excellence of the Indian women’s side on the international stage.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It took a lot of years but finally it came, so I'm happy,” — Shafali Verma
What’s Next
India will meet Sri Lanka in the gold-medal match on Tuesday, a repeat of the Asia Cup final where Sri Lanka chased 178 with captain Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 83. The bronze-medal contest will feature Pakistan versus Bangladesh on the same day.