India Women booked their place in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final with a clinical 40-run victory over Bangladesh Women in the first semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Batting first after Bangladesh elected to field, India posted 149/6 from 20 overs, led by a crucial 64 off 40 balls from Shafali Verma.
Bangladesh were then restricted to 109/7 in 20 overs as Deepti Sharma claimed three wickets to lead India’s disciplined bowling performance.
The victory sent Harmanpreet Kaur’s side into the Women’s Asia Cup final, where India will face the winner of the second semi-final between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
India Women vs Bangladesh Women Semi-Final 2026 Match Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Women’s Asia Cup 2026 |
| Match | 1st Semi-Final |
| Teams | India Women vs Bangladesh Women |
| Date | September 10, 2026 |
| Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| India Women | 149/6 in 20 overs |
| Bangladesh Women | 109/7 in 20 overs |
| Result | India Women won by 40 runs |
| Top Scorer | Shafali Verma – 64 off 40 balls |
| Best India Bowler | Deepti Sharma – 3 wickets |
Shafali Verma Leads India With Crucial 64
India lost vice-captain Smriti Mandhana for just two runs, putting early pressure on the batting lineup.
Shafali Verma responded with an aggressive and composed innings that ultimately became the foundation of India’s total.
She scored 64 from 40 deliveries, striking seven fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 160.
Shafali also survived several chances as Bangladesh’s fielding errors proved costly during a high-pressure knockout match.
She reached her 20th T20I half-century before eventually falling to Sultana Khatun.
India’s Batting Scorecard Highlights
| Batter | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Shafali Verma | 64 | 40 |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 24* | 28 |
| Richa Ghosh | 21 | 16 |
| Pratika Rawal | 20 | 24 |
| Deepti Sharma | 13 | 6 |
| Smriti Mandhana | 2 | 5 |
Bangladesh Miss Chances in the Field
Bangladesh had opportunities to restrict India to a much smaller total but failed to take several important catches.
Shafali was dropped multiple times during her 64, while Richa Ghosh also benefited from a missed opportunity.
Those errors proved particularly costly on a surface where scoring freely was difficult.
Despite regularly taking wickets, Bangladesh were unable to completely halt India’s momentum and eventually conceded 149.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh Add Valuable Late Runs
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 24 from 28 balls.
Although she initially struggled to score against Bangladesh’s spin attack, her presence ensured India maintained stability through the closing overs.
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh scored 21 from 16 balls, including two sixes, while Deepti Sharma added a valuable late cameo.
Deepti struck 13 runs from just six deliveries to help India finish on 149/6.
Sultana Khatun Leads Bangladesh Bowling
Bangladesh’s bowlers performed reasonably well despite the missed chances in the field.
Sultana Khatun took two wickets, including the important dismissals of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma.
Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan and Marufa Akter also picked up one wicket each.
Bangladesh Start Positively in 150-Run Chase
Chasing 150 for a place in the final, Bangladesh made a relatively positive start through Dilara Akter and Juairiya Ferdous.
The pair found early boundaries before India introduced their slower bowlers and began to tighten the scoring rate.
Once the required run rate started climbing, Bangladesh struggled to find regular boundaries.
Deepti Sharma Turns the Semi-Final in India’s Favour
Deepti Sharma once again demonstrated why she remains one of India’s most important players in T20 cricket.
The experienced all-rounder took three wickets, dismissing Dilara Akter, Sobhana Mostary and Sharmin Akhter.
Her wickets prevented Bangladesh from building the partnerships required to challenge India’s total.
Nandani Sharma Adds Two More Wickets
India’s bowling performance was supported by Nandani Sharma, who picked up two wickets.
Shree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed one wicket each as Bangladesh continued losing batters at regular intervals.
| India Bowler | Overs | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Deepti Sharma | 4 | 3 |
| Nandani Sharma | 2 | 2 |
| Shree Charani | 4 | 1 |
| Prema Rawat | 4 | 1 |
Bangladesh Restricted to 109/7
Bangladesh were ultimately restricted to 109/7 from their 20 overs.
Shorna Akter finished unbeaten on 22, while Dilara Akter scored 21 and captain Nigar Sultana contributed 19.
However, no Bangladesh batter was able to play the match-defining innings required to chase India’s 150-run target.
India Win Semi-Final by 40 Runs
India completed a convincing 40-run victory, maintaining their unbeaten campaign at the Women’s Asia Cup 2026.
The match highlighted India’s ability to win even when their batting lineup did not produce a massive total.
Shafali’s innings gave India something to defend, but the bowling unit ensured Bangladesh were never able to build enough momentum during the chase.
India Reach Their 10th Women’s Asia Cup Final
The victory sent India into another Women’s Asia Cup final and extended their extraordinary record in the continental competition.
India have now reached the Women’s Asia Cup final for the 10th time, underlining their long-standing dominance in the tournament.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side will now turn its attention to the final on September 13, 2026.
Who Will India Face in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final?
India’s opponent will be decided by the second semi-final between Sri Lanka Women and Pakistan Women.
Defending champions Sri Lanka finished top of Group B, while Pakistan progressed from Group A.
The winner will meet India in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final in Dubai on September 13.
Why This Victory Matters for India
India entered the semi-final as favourites after an unbeaten group-stage campaign, but knockout cricket often presents different challenges.
The Bangladesh game showed that India can defend a competitive rather than overwhelming total.
It also demonstrated the depth of India’s bowling attack, particularly their ability to control matches through spin.
With Shafali Verma in strong form and Deepti Sharma continuing to take important wickets, India will enter the final with significant momentum.
Shafali Verma Continues Outstanding Women’s Asia Cup 2026
Shafali’s 64 also strengthened her position among the leading run-scorers of the tournament.
Following the semi-final, she had accumulated 168 runs from four innings, moving ahead of Smriti Mandhana in India’s tournament run charts.
Her ability to attack during the powerplay remains one of India’s biggest weapons ahead of the final.
Deepti Sharma Leads India’s Bowling Attack
Deepti’s three-wicket performance also continued an outstanding tournament with the ball.
Following the Bangladesh semi-final, she had accumulated 11 wickets from four matches, making her one of the leading wicket-takers in the competition.
Her control through the middle overs could again be crucial when India compete for the title.
India One Win Away From Another Asia Cup Title
India now stand one victory away from adding another Women’s Asia Cup trophy to their collection.
After dominating Group A and overcoming Bangladesh in the semi-final, Harmanpreet Kaur’s team have given themselves another opportunity to reinforce India’s position as the most successful side in Women’s Asia Cup history.
The final on September 13 will provide the ultimate test of an unbeaten campaign that has already featured major contributions from Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and India’s deep bowling unit.
