Shafali Verma smashes fastest Indian T20I ton, sets seven records

India women's cricket team opener Shafali Verma produced a stunning performance on Sunday (September 20) at the Asian Games 2026. Batting aggressively in the semifinal against Bangladesh, she scored her maiden T20 International century, completing it in just 49 balls.

Shafali, who made her international debut in 2019, scored an unbeaten 100 in her 118th T20I. Her innings included 3 fours and 9 sixes. With her first T20I century, she claimed seven big records in one innings, including breaking a record held by India opener Smriti Mandhana.

The 22-year-old Shafali Verma's century off 49 balls made her jointly the fastest Indian batter to score a T20I century. Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur had achieved the same feat, scoring a century in 49 balls against New Zealand in 2018. The fastest century overall is still held by West Indies' Deandra Dottin, who scored a century in just 38 balls against South Africa in 2010.

Shafali also created history at the Asian Games by becoming the first woman batter to score a century in the history of the Games. She is now the third Indian woman batter to score a century in T20 Internationals.

With 9 sixes in her century against Bangladesh, Shafali became the Indian batter with the most sixes in women's T20 Internationals, breaking Smriti Mandhana's record. Shafali now has 104 sixes in T20Is, compared to Mandhana's 100. Hitting 9 sixes in a single innings also puts her among the few women T20I batters to have hit nine sixes in one innings.

By continuing to hit sixes in 2026, Shafali has set another major record. She has become the batter with the most sixes in a calendar year in women's T20 Internationals. Shafali has hit 35 sixes so far in 2026, breaking Chamari Athapaththu's record of 32 sixes set in 2024.

Shafali has also become the Indian player with the most runs in a calendar year in women's T20 Internationals. She is now second on the list of highest run-scorers in women's T20Is in 2026, with 815 runs so far, behind only Laura Wolvaardt.

Shafali has also equalled a big record for the most 50-plus scores in a calendar year, having crossed 50 eight times this year so far, matching Smriti Mandhana's record.