# Shafali Verma Smashes Maiden T20 Century in Japan, Grandfather Santlal Moved to Tears in Rohtak

> Shafali Verma struck an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls against Bangladesh in the Asian Games 2026 semifinal, moving her grandfather Santlal to tears in Rohtak.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Haryana · **Published:** 2026-09-21 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/haryana/japan-men-shafali-verma-ne-thoka-pahala-ti20-shataka-rohtak-men-dada-santlal-ki-ankhon-se-chhalake-khushi-ke-ansu-35647 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Shafali Verma, Asian Games 2026, Indian Womens Cricket, T20 Century, Rohtak, Santlal Verma, Smriti Mandhana

The Indian women's cricket team secured a commanding victory over Bangladesh in the semifinal clash at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Star batter Shafali Verma led the charge with an explosive innings, registering her maiden century in T20 international cricket. News of her milestone brought immense joy to her family home in Rohtak, Haryana. Watching the action unfold from his living room, Shafali's grandfather Santlal Verma was overcome with emotion, shedding tears of happiness as soon as she crossed the three-figure mark.

## Grandfather Watched the Semifinal Alone at Home
Santlal Verma revealed that he was all by himself at home throughout the match. The rest of the family, including Shafali's parents, had traveled to Haridwar for Ganesh Visarjan rituals. Sitting alone before the television screen, Santlal followed every single ball of the encounter. When Shafali completed her century, his joy knew no bounds. He shared that he had been eagerly anticipating this milestone for a long time, hoping to witness his granddaughter finally score a T20 international hundred.

## Overcoming Past Near-Misses
Recalling her earlier performances, Santlal Verma mentioned that Shafali had previously come agonizingly close to reaching a century on several occasions, only to miss out in the final stretch. This time, however, she played with remarkable clarity and determination to convert her start into a full century. He fondly recounted how Shafali consistently reassures him whenever she visits home, promising that she will put up strong performances for the national side and bring honor to the country. Praising her relentless dedication and training, he expressed deep confidence that she will continue to excel on the global stage.

## Surpassing Smriti Mandhana in Six-Hitting Record
In the Asian Games semifinal against Bangladesh, Shafali Verma remained unbeaten on 100 off just 49 deliveries. Her knock was punctuated by towering sixes that shifted the match entirely in India's favor. With these powerful hits, Shafali became India's all-time leading six-hitter in women's T20 international cricket, taking her tally to 104 sixes. In doing so, she surpassed her teammate Smriti Mandhana to claim the top spot in Indian women's cricket history.

## High Hopes for Championship Glory
Reflecting on India's complete performance, Santlal Verma praised the squad for firing across all departments, highlighting their sharp bowling, dynamic batting, and disciplined fielding. Observing this well-rounded dominance, he expressed strong faith that the Indian team possesses the form and momentum needed to bring home the tournament trophy.

## What this means for you
Shafali Verma's milestone knock and record-breaking feat highlight the growing dominance of fearless batting in Indian women's cricket.

- **For Cricket Enthusiasts:** Shafali's 49-ball century demonstrates the aggressive mindset of the national side in major international tournaments. Fans can now look forward to a dominant display in the Asian Games final as India chases the trophy.
- **For Aspiring Athletes:** Hailing from Rohtak, her success serves as a major benchmark for young female cricketers emerging from grassroots hubs across the country. Overcoming repeated near-misses to finally hit a maiden hundred highlights the virtue of perseverance.
- **For National Team Milestones:** Reaching 104 career sixes cements Shafali's status as India's most destructive hitter in women's T20 internationals. Surpassing Smriti Mandhana's tally reflects a significant shift in India's boundary-scoring power at the top of the order.
- **For Grassroots Support:** Her grandfather's emotional reaction underlines the pivotal role family encouragement plays in nurturing sporting talent. Such personal stories reinforce the emotional connection between fans, families, and elite sports achievements.

## Why this happened
This emotional and historic moment arose from Shafali Verma's breakthrough performance in the Asian Games 2026 semifinal and the culmination of a long personal wait.

- **Immediate Trigger:** Shafali Verma smashed an unbeaten 100 off 49 balls against Bangladesh to steer India into the final, prompting tears of joy from her grandfather Santlal watching at home.
- **Overcoming Previous Heartbreaks:** Having fallen agonizingly short of a T20 international hundred multiple times in the past, Shafali finally converted her aggressive start into three figures on a major stage.
- **Solo Viewing Experience:** With her parents and other family members away in Haridwar for Ganesh Visarjan, her grandfather watched the entirety of the broadcast alone in Rohtak, amplifying his emotional response.
- **Setting a New National Record:** The sixes struck during her innings took her career T20 international tally to 104, officially eclipsing Smriti Mandhana as India's leading six-hitter in the format.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. Against which team did Shafali Verma score her century at the Asian Games 2026?
Shafali Verma scored her century against Bangladesh in the semifinal of the Asian Games 2026 held in Japan.

### 2. How many balls did Shafali Verma take to complete her hundred?
She scored an unbeaten 100 runs off 49 deliveries to mark her maiden T20 international century.

### 3. Why was Shafali's grandfather alone at home during the match in Rohtak?
Her parents and other family members had traveled to Haridwar for Ganesh Visarjan rituals.

### 4. Who holds the record for the most sixes for India in women's T20 internationals?
Shafali Verma holds the record with 104 sixes, overtaking her teammate Smriti Mandhana.

### 5. How did Shafali's grandfather Santlal Verma react to her achievement?
Watching the entire game from home, he was deeply moved and shed tears of joy when she completed her century.

## Inspiration & Lessons
Shafali Verma's breakthrough century offers meaningful lessons in resilience, focus, and the power of family encouragement.

- **Perseverance Through Setbacks:** Despite missing out on a century after coming close in multiple past matches, she maintained her aggressive style and eventually broke through on a major platform.
- **Staying Grounded in Values:** Her enduring promise to her grandfather to win matches for India shows that strong familial bonds can be a powerful source of professional motivation.
- **Dedication to Skill Mastery:** Becoming India's highest six-hitter with 104 maximums in women's T20 internationals is the result of continuous hard work and specialized power-hitting practice.
- **Thriving Under Tournament Pressure:** Delivering an unbeaten hundred in an Asian Games semifinal highlights the importance of mental toughness in high-stakes knockout scenarios.

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