New Delhi: Shafali Verma continued her run in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, hitting a brilliant 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 players in the tournament’s history.With her match-winning knock at Old Trafford, Shafali claimed her third Player of the Match award in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup, joining an Indian team led by Harmanpreet Kaur (4), and now the level is Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj (3 each).The milestone has established Shafali as one of India’s most successful players at the international level, underlining his evolution from youth to opening act.
500-run batsman with batting record
The 22-year-old also passed 500 runs in the Women’s T20 World Cup within an innings, achieving a career-best 133.07 – the highest among all batsmen with 500 runs or more in the tournament’s history.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 unrivaled international scoring record.Shafali’s knock also sparked India’s chase as they attacked from the start, helping the team reach 63/1 in the powerplay and effectively shut Bangladesh out of the tournament.Reflecting on his innings, Shafali said he was pleased with his form but admitted he would have preferred not to lose. “I’m very happy with the way I fought today. But if I don’t go out, it will be interesting for me,” he said after receiving the POTM award.
Most POTM awards for India Women 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 full and putting Bangladesh in immediate possession. She reached her fifty in just 29 balls – the second fastest by an Indian in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup – before making 53.Despite his dismissal, India remained dominant throughout the period. Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15) made a late push, while Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma finished with a calm performance as India reached the target in 16.5 overs.Earlier, Bangladesh posted 136/8, built around contributions from Juairiya Ferdous (33) and skipper Nigar Sultana (32). However, the Indian bowling line-up, led by Radha Yadav’s 3/28 and aided by Shree Charani’s late strike, ensured that they were all out of reach.