Shafali Verma hails India’s team effort after Asian Games gold defence | Cricket News

India’s women’s cricket team has continued its successful run in major tournaments by defending its gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Having already won the 2025 ODI World Cup and the Asia Cup, the team is now looking to carry its momentum into upcoming international assignments, including the T20 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Opening batter Shafali Verma, who was instrumental in India’s gold medal defence, believes India’s recent achievements reflect the collective effort of the players and support staff, particularly the emphasis on fitness, fielding and team coordination.

The 22-year-old, who scored her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the Asian Games semi-final, also highlighted the importance of the team’s preparations ahead of the tournament.

Batting with Mandhana strengthens India’s top order

Shafali, while talking to the media in a round table conference organised by JSW Sports, said that her long-standing partnership with Smriti Mandhana has become one of the strengths of India’s batting unit. The pair have played together since 2019 and have developed an understanding that allows them to adapt their roles depending on the bowler and match situation.

Their left-right combination also makes it difficult for opposition bowlers to settle into a rhythm. Shafali explained that the two are comfortable giving each other the strike when one batter has a better match-up, keeping individual ambitions aside in favour of the team’s requirements.

The understanding has been particularly valuable at the top of the order, where India have regularly looked to establish a strong platform before accelerating later in the innings.

Shafali finds greater control without losing aggression

The India opener also reflected on the change in her batting approach over the past year. She believes she has become more mature in assessing which deliveries need to be attacked and which ones require patience.

Shafali acknowledged that she had previously played attacking shots that were not always beneficial to the team. Her focus now is on assessing the score and situation before deciding how aggressively to bat.

That has allowed her to retain her natural attacking game while becoming more comfortable taking singles and spending time at the crease when the ball is not in her preferred hitting area.

Maiden century adds to memorable Asian Games campaign

Shafali’s maiden white-ball century against Bangladesh in the semi-final was one of the standout moments of India’s campaign. She said the landmark became particularly emotional because it brought back memories of the work she had done throughout her career.

While approaching three figures, Shafali remained focused on India’s overall score rather than the personal milestone. Once she reached the century, however, the achievement reminded her of the effort that had gone into rebuilding and improving her game.

She described the moment as her happiest in cricket and said she hoped to experience it repeatedly in the future.

Family remains an important part of Shafali’s cricket

The opener has also developed a habit of analysing her own performances through video and discussions with her family. She has gone back to footage from the early years of her international career to identify mistakes and areas where she can improve.

Shafali said her father and brother remain the people she most often discusses cricket with. Their feedback has helped her assess her performances and understand what works for her at the crease.

India’s bowling unit impressed Shafali

India’s bowling performance was another major positive from the Asian Games campaign. Shafali highlighted the way the bowlers operated in partnerships and consistently attacked the opposition’s wickets.

The team had also worked extensively on its fielding and fitness before the tournament, while the players’ willingness to back one another helped create a positive environment throughout the campaign.

That collective approach proved particularly important in the final against Sri Lanka, as India converted their strong batting effort into a comprehensive victory and retained the gold medal.

T20 World Cup remains an unfinished target

Despite India’s recent success, Shafali acknowledged that the team still has an important gap to fill. India have failed to reach the semi-finals of the last two T20 World Cups, making the global title in the shortest format one of the next major objectives.

She believes the team has the ability to win the trophy if it continues to maintain the same preparation and collective approach.

The inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy, to be played in India, will provide another opportunity for the side to build on its recent success. The players are also looking ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where cricket will feature as part of the programme.

For Shafali, the Asian Games gold is another milestone in a period of sustained success for Indian women’s cricket. The challenge now is to carry the confidence and lessons from that campaign into the next generation of major tournaments.