Nisshin (Japan): Explosive opener Shafali Verma blazed her way to a splendid unbeaten ton to fire India to a massive total of 195 for four in the Asian Games women’s cricket semifinal against Bangladesh here on Sunday.
The India opener went hammer and tongs to clobber nine sixes and three fours to make 100 not out from only 49 balls, bringing up her maiden hundred in the shortest format in her 118th match for the country.
It is only the fourth T20 International century for any Indian batter.
The aggressive right-handed opener was well supported by senior pros Smriti Mandhana (37) and India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (40) from the other end.
Using the long handle to good effect, both the Indian openers were off to a flier and put on 72 runs for the first wicket. Shafali and Mandhana matched each other stroke by stroke while taking the attack to the Bangladeshi bowlers, who had no response to their aggressive approach.
However, the pair was separated right when the powerplay, which they had dominated really well, was about to end. Nahida Akter had induced a false stroke from Mandhana who looked to slog sleep a delivery, and had her caught behind by Sobhana Mostary.
India did not find much from their No. 3 Gunalan Kamalini, who fell soon after for a laborious 10-ball 3 on a wicket where run-making had been rather easier for the batters.
Shafali, on the other hand, kept cruising on the other end. She seemed to be effortlessly clearing the boundaries while hitting nine sixes and only three fours, but had to wait until the final over of India’s innings to bring up her century.
Skipper Harmanpreet pierced the gaps with precision to make 40 off 33 balls but it was her 94-run stand off only 55 balls with Shafali which took the game away from Bangladesh.
India looked set for a total in excess of 200 but fell well short of that as there was a stutter too. After Harmanpreet was stumped by her counterpart Nigar Sultana off Rabeya Khan in the 18th over, Richa Ghosh (2) also fell cheaply.
