Shafali Verma’s unbeaten 100 off just 49 balls in the Asian Games semifinal against Bangladesh on September 20 remains one of the great T20 innings by an Indian — the first century ever scored in Asian Games cricket history. The opener smashed nine sixes and three fours at a strike rate of 204, reaching her maiden T20I hundred off the final ball of India’s innings.

India posted 195 for 4 at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on September 20 and then bowled Bangladesh out for 81 in 15.4 overs, winning by 114 runs to reach the gold-medal match. Smriti Mandhana’s 37 off 19 balls also made history, taking her past New Zealand’s Suzie Bates as the leading run-scorer in women’s T20I cricket. Nandani Sharma (3-25) and Deepti Sharma (3-7) shared six wickets.

Shafali was not done. In the final against Sri Lanka, she struck a blazing 48 off 29 balls and then took two wickets for three runs with her off-spin as India retained its Asian Games gold medal. From record-breaker to match-winner, the 22-year-old’s tournament confirmed her as the driving force of India’s new era.