Nisshin, 20 September (H.S.): Indian women’s cricket team opener Shafali Verma created history at the 2026 Asian Games by becoming the first female cricketer to score a century in the tournament.

The right-handed batter achieved the feat on Sunday during India’s second semi-final against Bangladesh at the Korogi Sports Park.

Shafali produced a blistering unbeaten 100 off 49 balls, hitting three fours and nine sixes. Her explosive innings helped India defeat Bangladesh by 114 runs and secure a place in the final.

The century also saw Shafali set several records in women’s T20 International cricket. With her first century in white-ball cricket, she became the third Indian woman to score a hundred in T20Is.

Before Shafali, Smriti Mandhana had scored two T20I centuries for India, including 124 in 2026 and 112 in 2025. Harmanpreet Kaur had registered a century in 2018, scoring 103 runs.

Shafali also strengthened her position at the top of the list of six-hitters in women’s T20I cricket. Her nine sixes against Bangladesh took her career tally to 104, moving her past Mandhana’s previous mark of 100 sixes.

She also equalled Harmanpreet Kaur’s record for the fastest T20I century by an Indian woman. Both players reached their centuries in 49 balls.

The 21-year-old also broke another Indian record by becoming the highest run-scorer for India in women’s T20Is in a calendar year. With her latest innings, Shafali has taken her 2026 tally to 815 runs, surpassing Mandhana’s previous record of 763 runs scored in 2024.

Shafali also became the batter with the most sixes by a woman in T20Is for India in a single calendar year. She has hit 35 sixes in 2026, surpassing Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu, who hit 32 sixes in 2024.

Shafali’s century therefore marked a landmark performance at the Asian Games, while also adding several records to her growing list of achievements in international T20 cricket.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar