"A due reward": Ian Bishop hails Shafali Verma for maiden T20I century in Asian Games

St John's [Antigua], September 20 (ANI): Former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop hailed Indian opener Shafali Verma for her maiden century in the women's Asian Games cricket semifinal, saying that after a fine run in T20Is, a maiden century in the format comes as a "due reward" for the hard-hitting batter.

Shafali's sensational run in knockout matches continued as she became the first Indian woman cricketer to slam a century in the Asian Games and overall second after Yashasvi Jaiswal during the semis against Bangladesh. Her knock of 100* off 49 balls was laced with three fours and nine sixes, taking her to 100 T20I sixes, making him the second Indian to reach the milestone.

Posting on X, Ian wrote, "Nice run of form in T20 international cricket in the last 3 months for Shafali Verma. A first white ball international century being a T20i century is due reward."

Now in 118 T20Is and 117 innings, Shafali has scored 3,277 runs at an average of 30.06 and a strike rate of 140.70, with a century and 21 fifties, with a best score of 100*.

Shafali's century made her the third centurion for India Women in T20Is. Before her, Smriti Mandhana held the record for the highest individual score for India Women with 124 against Hong Kong in Dubai in 2026, followed by her 112 against England at Trent Bridge in 2025 and Harmanpreet Kaur's 103 against New Zealand in Providence in 2018.

With her nine sixes against Bangladesh, Shafali also moved up the list of most sixes in women's T20Is. She now has 102 sixes in the format, joining the elite list led by New Zealand's Sophie Devine and West Indies' Deandra Dottin, who have 134 sixes each. Sri Lanka's Chamari Athapaththu is third with 120 sixes, while Smriti Mandhana has 100 sixes.

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