'I can't ask anything else from her' - Harmanpreet Kaur heaps praise on Shafali Verma after Asia Cup triumph

Shafali's blistering fifty powers India to a record eighth Women's T20 Asia Cup

India ran in the Women's T20 Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka by 72 runs at Dubai on Sept 13, lifting an eighth title and fourth in the T20 format. Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss, chose to bat, and posted 183/5. Sri Lanka were then bowled out for 111, a commanding margin that summed up Indian dominance.

Shafali Verma was the star, firing a knock of 68 off 39 with nine fours and two sixes. Her fifty arrived in just 24 balls — the fastest fifty in Women's T20 Asia Cup history. Opening with Smriti Mandhana, the pair put on 129 for the first wicket, the highest partnership for any wicket across all editions of the tournament. Mandhana chipped in 59 off 39.

Harmanpreet didn't hold back on the praise: "I can't ask anything else from her. She's taking responsibility with the bat and the ball. It's all about playing good cricket." She also backed the opening combo, calling Shafali and Smriti a "fantastic" left-right pairing whose firepower and flair put the opposition on the back foot.

Across the tournament, Shafali top-scored with 236 runs in five innings and added two wickets with the ball — a genuine all-round show. The bowling was equally sharp, with Deepti Sharma (3) and Charani (4) dismantling the chase. Chamari Athapaththu top-scored for Sri Lanka with 36, but losing their captain early killed the run chase.

Coach Amol Muzumdar revealed the gameplan: slower, turning pitches meant putting runs on the board and defending with a strong spin battery. "We had the luxury of three good quality spinners. Put the score up, then defend," he said, crediting Deepti for executing the plan to remove Chamari — the key wicket.

Source: Crictracker