By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates | September 11, 2026 —
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 moved one step closer to a dramatic finish after India defeated Bangladesh by 40 runs in the semifinal and booked a place in the final.
Shafali Verma led the batting effort with a powerful 64 off 40 balls.
Deepti Sharma then delivered with the ball, taking 3 wickets for 26 runs.
India posted 149/6 in 20 overs before restricting Bangladesh to 109, sealing a commanding knockout victory.
The result sends Harmanpreet Kaur’s side into the final on September 13.
India will face the winner of the second semifinal between Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
India Recover After Early Smriti Mandhana Wicket
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to bowl first.
The decision paid off early.
Sultana Khatun dismissed Smriti Mandhana for just 2 runs off 5 balls.
That gave Bangladesh an early opening.
However, they failed to build enough pressure.
Shafali Verma quickly changed the tempo.
She attacked the bowling from the start and kept India’s run rate moving.
Bangladesh also dropped Shafali twice in the first three overs.
Those missed chances proved costly.
Shafali Verma Smashes 64 Off 40 Balls
Shafali produced the defining batting performance of the semifinal.
She hit boundaries regularly and reached her 20th T20I half-century.
Her 64-run innings came from just 40 balls.
It included seven fours and three sixes.
Shafali’s aggression helped India recover from the early loss of Mandhana.
Pratika Rawal added 20 off 24 balls.
The pair helped India reach 45/1 after the Powerplay.
Bangladesh’s spinners then slowed the scoring rate.
Still, Shafali kept finding scoring options.
Her innings gave India the platform they needed.
Middle Order Pushes India to 149/6
India lost momentum after Shafali’s dismissal.
The pitch also became difficult for new batters.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh had to rebuild.
Harmanpreet stayed unbeaten on 24.
Richa contributed 21 off 16 balls.
Both batters struggled at times to score freely.
However, they found important boundaries late in the innings.
Deepti Sharma then added a quick 13 off 5 balls.
That late cameo pushed India to 149/6.
On a difficult surface, the total gave India’s bowling unit something strong to defend.
Bangladesh Start Positively
Bangladesh began the chase with intent.
Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter found several early boundaries.
The opening pair briefly kept the chase on track.
However, India’s spinners soon took control.
Sree Charani removed Juairiya.
Kranti Gaud then took a sharp catch to help dismiss Dilara.
The required run rate started climbing.
Bangladesh could not find enough boundaries in the middle overs.
Deepti Sharma Turns the Match
Deepti Sharma became the key bowler for India.
She kept the scoring rate under control.
More importantly, she took crucial wickets.
Her first major breakthrough removed Dilara Akter.
Later, Deepti dismissed Sobhana Mostary.
That wicket pushed Bangladesh further behind the required rate.
She finished with 3/26.
The performance also moved Deepti to the top of the wicket charts in this Women’s Asia Cup.
She now has 11 wickets in the tournament.
Her bowling average stands at just 3.63.
That underlines how effective she has been throughout the competition.
Nigar Sultana’s Resistance Ends
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty tried to keep the chase alive.
She finally broke the pressure with a six.
However, her innings ended soon after.
Prema Rawat removed her for 19.
Once Nigar departed, Bangladesh’s chances faded quickly.
The asking rate had already moved beyond control.
India’s bowlers continued to attack.
Nandani Sharma Finishes It in Style
Nandani Sharma closed the match emphatically.
She took wickets with the final two balls.
That sealed India’s 40-run victory.
The result confirmed India’s place in the final.
It also continued their strong run in the tournament.
India had already topped Group A after an unbeaten group-stage campaign.
Earlier, they defeated Pakistan convincingly after bowling them out for 55.
India Have Dominated the Women’s Asia Cup
India remain the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history.
The 2026 tournament is the 10th edition of the competition.
Sri Lanka entered the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2024 edition.
India, however, have once again reached the title match and now have a chance to add another trophy to their record.
Final Set for September 13
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final will be played on Sunday, September 13.
India will meet either Sri Lanka or Pakistan.
The second semifinal will decide their opponent.
Sri Lanka are the defending champions.
Pakistan, meanwhile, have also produced competitive performances during the tournament.
That creates two very different possible final storylines.
An India-Sri Lanka final would give India a chance to challenge the defending champions.
An India-Pakistan final would create another high-profile rivalry clash.
Shafali and Deepti Give India the Perfect Knockout Combination
India’s semifinal win had two clear heroes.
Shafali gave the team attacking momentum.
Deepti then controlled the chase.
That combination allowed India to survive a tricky batting surface and dominate with spin.
The victory also showed that India do not need one player to carry the entire team.
Harmanpreet, Richa, Deepti and the bowlers all contributed.
That balance could become important in the final.
India One Win Away From Another Asia Cup Crown
The semifinal performance will give India confidence.
Shafali is in strong form.
Deepti is leading the wicket charts.
The bowling attack has remained disciplined.
The team has also shown the ability to adapt to difficult pitches.
Now only one match remains.
India will enter the final with momentum and another chance to strengthen their position as the most successful side in Women’s Asia Cup history.
