The women's cricket team of India has successfully qualified for the final round of the Women's Asia Cup 2026, after thrashing Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. With this win, Harmanpreet Kaur's team has remained unbeaten in this tournament so far and is just a step away from securing another Asian Cup.
While there was no seamless run in batting for India, a good contribution from their middle and lower order saw them score a good total, which was backed by a brilliant bowling performance, leading to a win.
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| Team India: Image Credit: ICC Cricket |
India Recovers After an Early Setback
Bangladesh, winning the toss, chose to bowl first, looking forward to creating early pressure on Indian batsmen from the very first over. It seemed like Bangladesh's strategy was paying off as Smriti Mandhana was out for just 2 runs.
But the Indian team recovered soon enough. This was due to Shafali Verma, who played an attacking innings for the side by hitting 64 runs off just 40 balls.
There were some lost chances for Bangladesh, making it more difficult for them to keep up the pressure on their opponents. India, however, managed to score 149 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs.
Shafali Verma Gives India the Push They Need
This was significant for Shafali because India required someone who would break the monotony of their innings after the loss of Mandhana.
Her 64 from 40 balls gave India the base to make a strong scorecard. Even though Bangladesh succeeded in taking wickets regularly, India kept scoring runs and ended up with a score that would put pressure on them.
Deepti Sharma Makes the Difference
If Shafali laid the foundation with her bat, Deepti Sharma delivered a big punch with her ball. Deepti took three wickets for 26 runs and was instrumental in dismissing Bangladesh from the game. With India's spinners making their presence felt, Bangladesh had a hard time matching the run rate.
The Bangladeshi openers Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter gave their team some hope at first. The pair sought to exploit the fast bowling attack of India in order to start the run-chase early.
However, India slowly started taking control of the game. With the addition of spin in the attack, wickets started falling frequently. Although the Indian team lost many catches as well, Bangladesh could not form a partnership large enough to challenge the target. They were eventually dismissed for 109, handing India a victory by 40 runs.
Harmanpreet Kaur Reaches Another Milestone
Victory was an equally unforgettable moment for Harmanpreet Kaur. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur achieved a historic feat as she became the first skipper in international cricket to have led his/her team in 150 T20I games. This becomes yet another feat added to a career where she has been playing an important part in the development of India’s women's cricket team.
India would certainly benefit from her experience in the final. An important match in a big tournament is bound to have its pressure, and a captain who has played many international matches would definitely make a difference at critical junctures.
Who Will India Face in the Final?
The opponents for India in the last match of this World Cup would be determined by the semi-final match played between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the defending champion, having won the title in the previous edition in 2024. In addition to that, Sri Lanka had been doing well in the groups as well.
For their part, Pakistan is still searching for that elusive Women's Asia Cup trophy. They have had mixed results throughout their campaign, with their lopsided loss against India giving them a sense of what they will have to overcome if faced with the same opponents in the finals. As for India, the identity of their opponent is irrelevant, with the key factor being their ability to carry on their current momentum.
India Has One More Step to Go
The Women's Asia Cup 2026 final will take place on September 13 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India will enter the game with an undefeated record and will possess the belief to manage the pressure of batting and bowling in the semi-finals. India will be targeting its third consecutive win in the tournament to prove its supremacy in the history of the Asia Cup.
The semi-final was proof that India did not require a single player to carry the whole team. The aggressive batting of Shafali, the all-rounder Deepti, and the bowling, which was capable enough to restrict the Bangladeshi batsmen, were a few contributing factors to the same.
The tournament is bittersweet for the Bangladeshi team, as despite losing the match, reaching the semi-finals means that they gain valuable exposure playing against one of the best teams in women's cricket.
On the other hand, India still has one more obstacle to clear. If India can maintain the same balance between their attacking batting and good bowling, they will stand a good chance of ending up holding the Women's Asia Cup 2026 title.