A sensational, record-breaking century by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, followed by a suffocating spin bowling display, propelled India Women into the semi-finals of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 with a crushing 137-run victory over Hong Kong at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The difference in class between two teams were clear from the beginning as the match became no contest for most of the duration.
After Hong Kong skipper Natasha Miles elected to field first, the Indian openers were given a cautious challenge by the disciplined bowling attack during the opening overs. However, the momentum broke free in the final over of the powerplay when Shafali Verma (28 off 17) unleashed a barrage of boundaries.
From that point on, it was the Smriti Mandhana show. The elegant left-hander effortlessly navigated Hong Kong’s wide lines and slow pace, constructing a batting masterclass. Initially she took some time to build her innings to reach her half-century off 39 deliveries. However Mandhana shifted gears dramatically in the death overs, unleashing a flurry of lofted drives, sweeps, and pulled sixes. She reached her century off 57 balls before finishing on a magnificent 124 off 64 balls, studded with 14 fours and 7 sixes. Her effort propelled India to a formidable 193/5 in 20 overs.
Chasing a massive 194, Hong Kong’s response struggled to gain momentum against a sharp Indian bowling line-up. Fast bowler Nandani Sharma provided the early breakthrough by dismissing Mariko Hill, after which India’s slow bowlers took complete control. Hong Kong had some good moments when they added 27 runs in the second wicket to reach 29/ in the 9th over but once the partnership between the captain Natasha Miles and Yasmin Daswani is broken by Deepti Sharma, they could add only 27 more runs before getting bowled out.
Deepti Sharma led the charge, claiming 3 for 9 in 3 overs and becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is in the process. Supporting her from the other end, Prema Rawat (2/12), Nandani Sharma (2/6), and Shree Charani (2/16) kept things extremely tight. Hong Kong crumbled under the relentless pressure, losing wickets at regular intervals and failing to cross double digits beyond Natasha Miles (15) and Yasmin Daswani (11).
India wrapped up the innings in 16.2 overs, bowling Hong Kong out for a paltry 56. The emphatic 137-run win secures India’s place at the top of Group A and ensured their spot in the semi-finals.
