India Women stormed into the semi-finals of the Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Japan Women in the 4th Quarter-Final at Korogi Sports Park, Nishin on September 18, 2026. After restricting Japan Women to 57 all out in 19.5 overs, India Women chased down the target in just five overs, finishing on 59/2 with 90 balls remaining. Shafali Verma provided the biggest highlight of the match with a breathtaking unbeaten 40 off just 15 balls as India completed a one-sided quarter-final victory.
After winning the toss, India Women opted to field first, and their decision immediately paid dividends as the Japanese batting order struggled to build partnerships against a disciplined Indian bowling attack. Haruna Iwasaki and Ayaka Kato-Stafford began the innings, but India kept the pressure on from the very first over. Iwasaki managed 10 off 22 balls, striking two fours, but her innings ended when Shafali Verma took the catch off Shree Charani. The opening partnership produced 24 runs before Japan lost their first wicket, setting the tone for what became a difficult innings.
Kato-Stafford attempted to hold the innings together and showed some resistance with 25 from 47 deliveries, including two fours. She added 9 runs with Mai Yanagida, but the latter was dismissed for a duck off six balls by Ghosh, leaving Japan at 33/2. Kato-Stafford was then removed for 25, again falling to Shafali Verma, as Japan slipped to 33/3. The wickets continued to arrive at regular intervals, with Erika Oda scoring five from 14 balls before being caught by Patil off Deepti Sharma. Sree Charani then accounted for Shimako Kato, who made three from 10 deliveries, reducing Japan to 51/5 after 16.3 overs.
India’s bowling attack maintained complete control through the middle and closing overs. Akari Nishimura was dismissed for two from nine balls after being caught by Smriti Mandhana off N Sree Charani, while Hinase Goto managed just one run before being run out. Ahliya Chandel was then run out without scoring, leaving Japan eight down for 56. Ayumi Fujikawa remained unbeaten on four from six balls, but there was little support at the other end. Erika Toguchi-Quinn was dismissed for a duck by Shafali Verma and Nonoha Yasumoto was also left without a run as Japan were bowled out for just 57 in 19.5 overs.
N Sree Charani led the Indian bowling effort with an excellent 4/10 from four overs, including two maidens, while Shafali Verma claimed 2/13 from her four overs. Nandani Sharma was even more economical, taking 2/6 from two overs, while Kranti Goud picked up 2/4 from her two overs. Deepti Sharma finished with 1/14 from four overs and Shreyanka Patil took 1/8 from 3.5 overs. Together, India’s bowlers consistently denied Japan scoring opportunities and ensured that the hosts never managed to establish a substantial partnership.
Chasing only 58, India Women wasted no time in putting the match beyond Japan’s reach. Shafali Verma immediately switched into attacking mode, finding boundaries with remarkable ease. She initially partnered with Gunanak Kamalini, and the pair added 17 runs before Kamalini was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Ahliya Chandel. Bharti Fulmali then joined Shafali, but their partnership lasted only seven runs before Fulmali departed for six from seven balls, caught by Ayaka Kato-Stafford off Nonoha Yasumoto. Despite those two quick wickets, the target was already within touching distance.
Richa Ghosh arrived at the crease and immediately continued the aggressive approach alongside Shafali. The pair added an unbeaten 35 runs for the third wicket, taking India from 24/2 to 59/2 in only a handful of deliveries. Shafali was simply unstoppable, finishing unbeaten on 40 from just 15 balls. Her innings contained six fours and two sixes, giving her an extraordinary strike rate of 266.66. Richa Ghosh provided the perfect support at the other end, remaining unbeaten on 12 from six balls, including two fours, as India reached the target in just five overs.
For Japan Women, Ahliya Chandel returned figures of 1/17 from one over, while Nonoha Yasumoto took 1/8 from two overs. Ayaka Kato-Stafford conceded 14 runs from her solitary over and Shimako Kato went for 20 from one over without taking a wicket. The Japanese bowlers had very little room for error against India’s aggressive chase, with Shafali Verma ensuring that the required run rate was never a concern.
The eight-wicket victory, achieved with 90 deliveries to spare, sends India Women into the semi-finals of the Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition 2026. Japan Women fought hard with limited resources, but India’s bowling attack restricted them to 57 before Shafali Verma’s explosive 40 and Richa Ghosh’s unbeaten 12 completed the chase in emphatic fashion.
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