'We are all ready for the semis...': Shafali ahead of clash against Bangladesh

Team India is set to clash against Bangladesh in the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026 semi-final match. The clash is scheduled to be played on Thursday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

In Team India's previous match against Pakistan, Shafali Verma could not deliver a big knock, but she became the youngest batswoman to reach the mark of 3000 runs in women's T20I. She achieved the feat at the age of 22 years and 220 days. Verma also became the fastest player to achieve the feat, as she took just 2182 balls.

Ahead of the semi-final clash, Verma stated that she will take confidence from the previous innings, but would like to start from zero.

"As a batter, whenever I go to bat, I just start from zero. But what came from that innings, it is just confidence. So, I will take that confidence and just start from zero again," she said, as quoted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

She then said that the "Women in Blue" have recovered well during the four-day break and expressed readiness for the clash against Bangladesh.

"We had good preparation. We got four days of break, and during those days, we recovered well and did practice as well. So, we are all ready for the semis," said Verma.

However, the 22-year-old cricketer remains confident in the abilities of the team's finishers Bharti Fulmali and Richa Ghosh.

"Well, I would say there are a few bad days. But they all are very good players. They all are very good batters. Just talking about Bharti (Fulmali) and Richa (Ghosh), they all are very good finishers and even do great things in the middle order as well. So, I am pretty sure they will do well for our team," she said.

Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026, IND W vs BAN W: Full squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Bharti Fulmali, Renuka Singh, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Nandani Sharma, Pratika Rawal, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Gunalan Kamalini (WK), Prema Rawat.

Bangladesh: Sharmin Akhter, Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, Nigar Sultana (C) (WK), Nahida Akter, Sharmin Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Sanjida Akter Maeghla, Marufa Akter, Dilara Akter (WK), Rabeya Khatun, Shorna Akter, Juairiya Ferdous (WK), Sultana Khatun, Farjana Easmin.

(With ANI Inputs)