Shafali Verma has turned India’s scratchiest World Cup win into a record-laced warning shot before the Australia decider.
The opener’s 53 from 34 balls set up India’s five-wicket victory over Bangladesh at Old Trafford, a result that moved them to three wins from four in Group A and kept their semi-final route firmly alive.
Shafali Verma gives India the start they needed
Bangladesh had posted 136 for eight after Juairiya Ferdous made 33 and Nigar Sultana added 32, but Radha Yadav’s three for 28 stopped the innings from breaking open. Sree Charani’s two wickets at the death mattered too, extending the form covered in ReadCricket’s India-Bangladesh World Cup report, especially after India’s catching again looked untidy.
Verma then took the game away early. She reached a 29-ball half-century, hit eight fours, and had India at 85 for two by halfway in the chase. BCCI’s match report confirmed India closed on 139 for five in 16.5 overs, with Jemimah Rodrigues making 26 and Harmanpreet Kaur unbeaten on 13.
Shafali Verma produced a player-of-the-match performance as India beat Bangladesh by five wickets to boost their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final hopes.
— ICC (@ICC) June 25, 2026
Australia now becomes the real examination
The innings carried an added individual edge. Reports in India noted Verma had crossed the 500-run mark in Women’s T20 World Cup cricket, joining Smriti Mandhana and Mithali Raj among India’s most productive tournament batters.
That landmark is useful, but the timing is more important. India still have to face group leaders Australia on Sunday, and the flaws Bangladesh exposed in the field will not be as easily absorbed against the defending machine. Verma has supplied the surge. India now need the polish.
