Shafali Verma opened the innings for India in their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 match against Pakistan on Saturday (September 5) and scored 12 runs off six balls in the 56-run chase at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The 22-year-old right-handed batter opened her account by hitting a six off the very first ball of India’s innings. The six, hit off Sadia Iqbal’s bowling, helped Shafali create history.
She became the first player in the world to hit a six off the first ball of a WT20I innings on multiple occasions.
So far, only three players have managed to hit a six off the first ball of a WT20I innings, and Shafali is the first to achieve the feat in two different matches.
During India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan in Birmingham
on June 14 as well Shafali had hammered Sadia Iqbal for a six off the first ball of India’s innings.
Six off the first ball of a Women’s T20I innings
- Amy Hunter (Ireland) off Fatima Sana (Pakistan) in Dublin, 2025
- Hollan Doriga (Papua New Guinea) off Saima Tuhadeleni (Namibia) in Kathmandu, 2026
- Shafali Verma (India) off Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan) in Edgbatson, 2026
- Shafali Verma (India) off Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan) in Dubai, 2026
During her stay at the crease on Saturday, Shafali hammered one four and one six for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side. Her 12-run knock in India’s third Group A match of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 also helped her complete 3,000 runs in women’s T20Is.
Shafali is the third Indian after Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur to score 3,000 or more runs in women’s T20Is. At the age of 22 years and 220 days, she is also the youngest player in the world to reach the 3,000-run mark in WT20Is.
Before Shafali, the record for being the youngest player to score 3,000 runs in WT20Is was held by Ireland’s Gaby Lewis. Lewis was 24 years and 347 days old when she reached the 3,000-run mark in the 20-over format.
In addition to becoming the youngest player to score 3,000 WT20I runs, Shafali is also the fastest player to reach the milestone in terms of balls faced.
The right-handed batter from Rohtak, Haryana, who made her WT20I debut in 2019 at the age of 15, reached 3,000 runs in 2,182 balls.
