Asian Games 2026 LIVE: Shafali Verma ton powers reigning champions India into Asian Games final

Reigning champions India stormed into the women’s T20I cricket final at the Asian Games for a second successive edition, securing at least a silver medal and taking the country’s tally to four. India crushed Bangladesh by 114 runs, with Shafali Verma smashing her maiden T20I century—an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls—as India posted 195/4 before bowling Bangladesh out for 81. India’s tally also includes two shooting silvers and an assured bronze in mixed martial arts. In shooting, Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Maskar and Vidarsa Vinod won silver in the women’s 10m air rifle team event behind world-record-setting China, while Elavenil claimed individual silver.

Also read: India open shooting campaign with silver in women’s 10m air rifle team event

India also enjoyed impressive starts in hockey, MMA and table tennis. Deepika scored eight goals as the Indian women’s hockey team thrashed Uzbekistan 19-0 in their opening Pool B match. Suchika Tariyal assured India of a medal by reaching the women’s Traditional MMA 60kg semifinals with a 2-0 win over Mongolia’s Altanchimeg Baigalmaa. Meanwhile, India’s women’s table tennis team defeated Indonesia 3-0 in its opening Group F fixture.

Also read: India women open table tennis campaign with 3-0 win over Indonesia

The 20th Asian Games officially opened in Nagoya on September 19 and will run until October 4, featuring around 11,000 athletes from 45 nations competing across 43 sports and 469 gold-medal events. India will aim to build on its record 107-medal haul at Hangzhou 2023, including 28 gold medals, while seeking to defend its cricket and kabaddi titles. The men’s hockey team will also enter the competition as defending champions.

Also read: Full India schedule with key events

(With agency inputs)

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