Final Bound: Shafali's Blistering 64 and Deepti's Spin Masterclass Power India Past Bangladesh in Dubai

Big tournament pedigree matters most when the pressure spikes, and India Women proved once again why they remain the standard-bearers of continental cricket. Defending 149 on a tricky, slow Dubai deck, Harmanpreet Kaur's side relied on early explosive hitting from Shafali Verma and suffocating spin from Deepti Sharma to choke Bangladesh Women to 109 for 7, sealing an emphatic 40-run triumph and marching into their 10th consecutive Women's Asia Cup final.

DailyCricInfo brings you the complete, fact-checked match report and tactical takeaways from the first semi-final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Shafali Verma Punishes Costly Drop Catches

Winning the toss and inserting India to bat first, Bangladesh made an immediate statement in the second over when Sultana Khatun removed vice-captain Smriti Mandhana for just 2. But what followed was an absolute fielding disaster for the Tigresses.

Shafali Verma rode her luck through three dropped chances, and she made Bangladesh pay with sheer brutality.

Taking the attack to both pace and spin, Shafali brought up her half-century off just 35 deliveries. She cleared the ropes with three towering sixes and struck seven crisp boundaries on her way to a match-defining 64 off 40 balls. Alongside Pratika Rawal (20 off 24), Shafali pushed India to 45 for 1 in the powerplay before eventually perishing in the 14th over.

While captain Harmanpreet Kaur took time to adjust before finishing unbeaten on 24 off 28 balls, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh (21 off 16) and Deepti Sharma (13 off 6) provided the late acceleration, lifting India to an imposing 149 for 6.

Deepti Sharma Weaves Spin Web in the Chase

Chasing 150 under lights required fearless intent, but Bangladesh's top order found themselves completely trapped in India's web of spin.

Left-arm spinner Shree Charani struck first blood by removing Juairiya Ferdous for 14 in the final over of the powerplay. Then, the tournament's leading wicket-taker Deepti Sharma took complete control of the contest.

Deepti dismantled the chase through immaculate line and length, removing Dilara Akter (21), clean bowling Sobhana Mostary (18), and getting Sharmin Akhter to leave Bangladesh reeling at 83 for 5. Deepti finished with outstanding figures of 3 for 26 in four overs, while Prema Rawat accounted for Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana for 19.

Medium pacer Nandani Sharma applied the finishing touches in the 20th over, picking up 2 for 10, including removing Rabeya Khan hit-wicket as Bangladesh finished well short on 109 for 7.

Shafali Verma collected the Player of the Match award for her fearless 64. India now awaits the winner of the second semi-final between defending champions Sri Lanka and Pakistan for the title decider on Sunday, September 13.

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