India’s victory over Bangladesh in the women’s cricket semi-final at the 2026 Asian Games produced a remarkable collection of records, with Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana both reaching major career milestones in Nisshin.
Shafali Verma Creates Asian Games History
Shafali Verma became the first woman to score a century in Asian Games cricket, smashing an unbeaten 100 from just 49 balls. Her innings eclipsed the previous highest score in the competition, Chamari Athapaththu’s unbeaten 83 against Pakistan earlier the same day.
Her century also matched the fastest ever by an Indian woman in T20Is, equalling Harmanpreet Kaur’s 49-ball hundred against New Zealand during the 2018 T20 World Cup.
Six-Hitting Masterclass
Shafali cleared the ropes nine times, the joint second-highest number of sixes in a women’s T20I innings. Only Brazil’s Laura Agatha, who struck 11 sixes against Mexico in 2024, has hit more in a single innings.
Her nine sixes are now the most by an Indian batter in a women’s T20I, surpassing Harmanpreet Kaur’s previous record of eight.
India also set a new world record by hitting 12 sixes in the innings, the highest total ever recorded in a women’s T20I. The previous best of 11 had been shared by West Indies and Brazil.
More Records for Shafali
The innings also took Shafali to 104 career sixes in women’s T20Is, making her the highest six-hitter for India and the fourth-highest overall in the format.
She has now struck 35 sixes during 2026 alone, setting a new record for the most sixes by a woman in a calendar year, moving past Chamari Athapaththu’s 32 in 2024.
Her century also became the first ever scored in a women’s T20 International played in Japan.
Mandhana Becomes Leading Run-Scorer in Women’s T20Is
Smriti Mandhana added another historic achievement by becoming the highest run-scorer in women’s T20 International cricket.
Needing seven runs to overtake former New Zealand captain Suzie Bates, Mandhana reached the milestone in the third over with consecutive boundaries off Marufa Akter before finishing with a quickfire 37 from 19 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes.
She now has 4,788 runs in 178 T20I appearances, moving ahead of Bates, who finished her career with 4,758 runs from 186 matches.
Most Runs in Women’s T20Is
- Smriti Mandhana (India) – 4,788
- Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 4,758
- Harmanpreet Kaur (India) – 4,327
- Chamari Athapaththu (Sri Lanka) – 4,282
- Sophie Devine (New Zealand) – 3,817
Another Flying Start for India
Mandhana and Shafali once again provided India with a blazing opening partnership, adding 72 runs inside the Powerplay. Mandhana departed for 37 off the final ball of the sixth over, while Shafali continued her assault to remain unbeaten on 100 from 49 deliveries.
India finished on 195/4 from their 20 overs, putting themselves firmly in control of the semi-final.
The latest milestone adds to an outstanding year for Mandhana, who recently became both the highest run-scorer and the leading century-maker in the history of women’s international cricket across all formats.
With their star opening pair continuing to dominate, defending champions India moved one step closer to retaining the Asian Games gold medal won at Hangzhou in 2023.
