NEW DELHI: Shafali Verma continued her torrid run in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, hitting a fluent 53 off 34 balls against Bangladesh to not only lead India to a five-wicket win but also cement her place among the country’s most decorated performers in the history of the tournament.With her match-winning knock at Old Trafford, Shafali claimed her third Man of the Match award in Women’s T20 World Cup history, joining an elite Indian group led by Harmanpreet Kaur (4), and now flatten s Smriti Mandhan and Mithali Raj (3 each).The milestone places Shafali among India’s most consistent big-match performers at the global event, highlighting her evolution from teenage sensation to tournament opener.
Milestone of 500 runs with a record strike rate
The 22-year-old also crossed 500 career runs in the Women’s World T20 during the innings, achieving the feat at an incredible strike rate of 133.07 — the highest among any batsman with 500 or more runs in the history of the tournament.She now leads the list of 23 batsmen to have crossed the 500-run mark, ahead of Australian captain Alyssa Healy (129.39), highlighting her unparalleled pace of scoring on the global stage.Shafali’s knock once again set the tone for India’s chase as they attacked right from the start, helping the team race to 63/1 in the powerplay and effectively knocking Bangladesh out of the contest early.Reflecting on her innings, Shafali said she was happy with her form but admitted she would have preferred to remain unbeaten. “I’m very happy with the way I hit today. But if I’m not out, it will be a lot happier for me,” she said after receiving the POTM award.
Most POTM awards for women in India in T20 World Cup
- 4-Harmanpreet Kaur
- 3 – Smriti Mandhana
- 3- Mithali Raj
- 3 – Shafali Verma
Powerplay dominance and India’s smooth chase
Chasing 137, India got off to a blistering start with Shafali punishing anything short or long and immediately putting Bangladesh under pressure. She reached her fifty in just 29 balls — the second-fastest by an Indian in Women’s T20 World Cup history — before falling for 53 soon after.Despite the dismissal, India remained in control throughout the chase. Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15) provided the late push while Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma finished proceedings calmly as India reached the target in 16.5 overs.Earlier, Bangladesh posted 136/8, built around contributions from Juairiya Ferdous (33) and skipper Nigar Sultan (32). However, India’s bowling unit, led by Radha Yadav’s 3/28 and aided by Shree Charani’s late knocks, ensured that the total remained within reach.
