Asian Games 2026: Shafali stars as India thump Japan by 8 wickets to book semis berth
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Asian Games 2026: Shafali stars as India thump Japan by 8 wickets to book semis berth")
Asian Games 2026: Shafali (L) stars as India thump Japan by 8 wickets for semis spot Photograph: (X/BCCI Women)
India women's cricket team thrashed Japan by eight wickets in the Asian Games 2026 quarter-final. Shafali Verma's unbeaten 40 off 15 balls chased down 58 easily to setup a semi-final against Bangladesh.
India women's cricket team started their Asian Games 2026 campaign with a thumping eight-wicket win over hosts Japan on Friday (Sep 18) in the quarter-final in Nagoya. The Asia Cup champs made light work of the 58-run target and raced to it with one over left in the powerplay itself. Shafali Verma, Player of the Series (POTS) of the recently concluded Women's Asia Cup 2026, scored an unbeaten 40 off just 15 balls as India won with 90 balls remaining. The defending gold medalists now face Bangladesh in the semi-final on Sunday (Sep 20).
India-W thrash Japan-W in Asian Games 2026 quarter-final
Batting first, Japan went through the powerplay of the first six overs without losing a wicket but scoring only 24 runs. Shree Charani broke the opening partnership by dismissing Haruna Iwasaki (10) and then removed skipper Mai Yanagida (0) on the very next ball for a golden duck. Things started going downhill pretty fast for Japan from thereon.
Also Read - Asian Games 2026: From transport to accommodation- Athletes face multiple issues at Aichi-Nagoya
Erika Oda (5) was the next wicket to fall, taken by Shafali Verma, before Shree Charani dismissed the other opener Ayaka Kano-Stafford (25). Shafali then dismissed Shimako Kato for her second wicket, and Japan was 51/5 from being 24/0. The hosts lost their next five wickets for seven runs, with Shree Charani taking another wicket to return bowling figures of 4/10 in four overs with two maidens. Apart from her, Shafali took 2/13, while Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil picked up one wicket each.
Shafali lights up India chase
Trending Stories
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Chasing the below-par target, Shafali hit 17 runs in the opening over, taking care of more than one-fourth of the target in the first six balls. Her new opening partner Kamalini Gnanavel, however, could not make use of the opportunity and was dismissed for a two-ball duck. Bharti Fulmali also failed to grab her chance and was dismissed for 6 (7 balls) as India fell to 24/2 from 17/0. Shafali then took charge with Richa Ghosh (unbeaten 12 runs off 6 balls) as India romped home at the completion of the five-over mark.
