Shafali Verma bats during the women's gold medal match. (AP Photo) NEW DELHI: Shafali Verma continued her sensational run in T20I cricket in 2026, rewriting another record during India's Asian Games gold-medal clash against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.The India opener became the highest run-scorer in a calendar year in women's T20Is, surpassing South Africa's Laura Wolvaardt.
Shafali's 29-ball 48 in the gold-medal match took her tally for the year to 863 runs, moving past Wolvaardt's 824.
Watch Washington Sundar: India eye Asian Games gold after Japan preparations Shafali's innings at Korogi Sports Park featured three fours and three sixes and came at a strike rate of 165.52.
Although she fell short of another half-century, her latest contribution extended a remarkable run in the shortest format.In 24 T20Is in 2026, Shafali has now scored 863 runs at an average of 39.22 and a strike rate of 162.83.
Her tally includes one century and seven fifties, with a best score of 100 not out.Wolvaardt, meanwhile, has scored 824 runs in 24 matches this year at an average of 43.36 and a strike rate of 138.72.
Her tally includes two centuries and four fifties, with a best of 126 not out.Most runs in a calendar year in Women’s T20Is 863 - Shafali Verma (IND-W) in 2026* 824 - Laura Wolvaardt (SA-W) in 2026 800 - Natasha Miles (HKG-W) in 2026 779 - Esha Oza (UAE-W) in 2025 779 - Yasmin Daswani (HKG-W) in 2026 Shafali's incredible knockout run Shafali's record-breaking year has been driven by an extraordinary sequence of performances in knockout matches since the 2025 Women's World Cup final.
After scoring 87 against South Africa in the World Cup final, she has maintained her aggressive approach across the Asia Cup and Asian Games.
Her scores in her last five T20Is read 64, 68, 40 not out, 100 not out and 48.She scored 64 off 40 balls against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup semifinal before following it with 68 off 39 in the final against Sri Lanka.Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines At the Asian Games, Shafali smashed 40 not out from just 15 balls against Japan in the quarterfinal before producing a spectacular unbeaten 100 off 49 balls against Bangladesh in the semifinal.Her 48 against Sri Lanka in the final completed an extraordinary stretch of six innings in which she has amassed 407 runs at an average of 101.75, including one century and three fifties.Shafali Verma’s last 5 T20I scores64 (40), Asia Cup SF 68 (39), Asia Cup Final 40* (15), Asian Games QF 100* (49), Asian Games SF 48 (29), Asian Games Final Mandhana-Shafali extend partnership record Shafali's latest milestone came on the same day she and Smriti Mandhana extended their record as the most prolific partnership in women's T20I cricket.The pair's opening stand of 99 against Sri Lanka took their aggregate partnership tally beyond 4,000 runs.
