Dubai, Sept 11:
India stormed into the final of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 with a commanding 40-run victory over Bangladesh in the first semifinal at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Batting first, India posted 149 for six in their allotted 20 overs, with opener Shafali Verma producing a powerful 64 to give the team a strong platform. She attacked the Bangladesh bowlers and kept the scoreboard moving despite the slow nature of the Dubai pitch.
Shafali’s innings provided the momentum after India lost vice-captain Smriti Mandhana cheaply. Contributions from the middle order, including Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh, helped India finish strongly and set Bangladesh a challenging target.
Bangladesh struggled to build a sustained partnership during the chase. India’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout the innings, with Deepti Sharma leading the attack and claiming three important wickets.
Bangladesh eventually finished at 109 for seven in their 20 overs, leaving India with a comfortable 40-run victory. The Indian bowling unit effectively defended what initially appeared to be a modest total on a sluggish surface.
The victory took India into their 10th successive Women’s Asia Cup final, underlining their dominance and consistency in the tournament. India have once again combined batting depth with an effective bowling attack to remain a major force in the competition.
India will now play the final on Sunday, September 13. They will face the winner of the second semifinal between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, with the team aiming to complete an impressive campaign by lifting the Asia Cup trophy.