Why Harmanpreet & Co. are clear favourites vs Bangladesh in Asian Games semis

India's women's cricket team faces Bangladesh in the semi-finals of the Asian Games 2026, aiming to secure a spot in the gold-medal match. The match takes place in Nagoya, with India entering the contest after an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Japan in their quarter-final. Bangladesh reached the semi-finals following a rain washout in their quarter-final against China, allowing them to progress automatically as the higher-ranked team. India's dominant performance against Japan showcased their strength and flexibility. After opting to field, India's bowlers quickly put Japan under pressure, dismissing them for 57 in 19.5 overs. Left-arm spinner Sree Charani was the standout performer, taking four wickets for 10 runs in four overs. Shafali Verma contributed two wickets as well. In response, India chased down the target in just five overs. Shafali Verma remained unbeaten, scoring 40 off 15 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes. Richa Ghosh added 12 not out from six deliveries. This allowed India to experiment with their batting order, with Kamalini opening alongside Shafali, Bharti Fulmali coming in at number three, and Richa promoted to number four. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur did not need to bat due to the ease of the chase. Bangladesh's journey to the semi-finals was less conventional. Their quarter-final against China was washed out without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain at the Korogi Sports Park. As the higher-ranked team, Bangladesh advanced automatically. They now face an Indian side they recently encountered in the Women's Asia Cup 2026 semi-final, where India won by 40 runs. In that match, Shafali Verma scored 64 off 40 balls, helping India post 149 for six before restricting Bangladesh to 109 for seven. India's previous encounter with Bangladesh at the Asian Games dates back to 2023 in Hangzhou, where they secured a semi-final win by eight wickets. That victory paved the way for their eventual gold medal after defeating Sri Lanka in the final. Now, they look to repeat that success in Aichi-Nagoya. With a medal at stake, India is expected to revert to its regular batting order, with Mandhana and Harmanpreet returning to their usual positions. Richa Ghosh may also shift back to her standard position after being promoted during the Japan match. The semi-final between India and Bangladesh will begin at 10:30 AM IST and 2 PM local time. The match will be broadcast on Sony Sports Network, with live streaming available on Sony LIV. The winner will advance to the gold-medal match, while the loser will compete in the bronze-medal playoff.