Shafali Verma achieved a rare milestone during India’s Asia Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan, adding another record to her impressive T20I career.
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Shafali Verma celebrates after creating a rare Women’s T20I record against Pakistan(Photo: X)
Young Indian opener Shafali Verma added another remarkable achievement to her growing list of records during India’s Women’s Asia Cup 2026 clash against Pakistan in Dubai on Saturday.
Shafali became the first player in women’s T20I cricket to hit a six off the very first ball of an innings on more than one occasionShe had previously achieved the feat against Pakistan during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham, once again against left-arm spinner Sadia IqbalThe earlier match records confirm that Shafali hit Iqbal’s first delivery for six before being dismissed in the same over.
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Shafali repeats rare first-ball feat
India were chasing a target of 56 after Pakistan were bowled out for 55 at the Dubai International Cricket StadiumShafali opened the innings and immediately attacked Pakistan’s bowling.
Facing Sadia Iqbal, she launched the very first delivery over the boundary for a sixShe went on to score 12 runs from six balls, including a four and a six, before being dismissed.
Shafali Verma said hello with a maximum!
Watch India vs Pakistan LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels & Sony LIV.#SonySportsNetwork #SonyLIV #DPWorldWomensAsiaCup2026 #NotAGentlemansGame pic.twitter.com/mWE7KEpIaD
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 5, 2026
The achievement was even more special because Shafali had produced the same feat earlier this year against the same bowler.
On June 14, during India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against Pakistan at Edgbaston in Birmingham, Shafali smashed the first ball of the innings from Sadia Iqbal for sixShe was eventually dismissed for 6 off 5 balls.
A unique record in Women’s T20Is
Shafali’s latest six puts her in a league of her own when it comes to this rare record.
Only a handful of batters have hit a six from the first delivery of a Women’s T20I innings, but Shafali is the only player to have accomplished the feat more than once.
Her aggressive batting from the very first ball has become her trademark and the Pakistan clash was another example of her no-holds-barred approach.
Shafali reaches 3,000 T20I runs
The brief innings also helped Shafali reach another major milestone in her international career.
She completed 3,000 runs in Women’s T20Is, becoming only the third Indian woman to reach the landmark after Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
The milestone further highlights Shafali’s consistency at the international level since making her T20I debut as a teenager in 2019.
