India will begin their Women’s Asia Cup 2026 campaign on August 30 when they take on Thailand in their opening match of the tournament.
The 10th edition of the Women’s Asia Cup is set to feature eight of Asia’s top women’s cricket teams. The tournament will be hosted in Dubai and will officially get underway on August 28, with all matches being played in the T20I format.
The competition provides the participating teams with an important opportunity to build momentum and strengthen their preparations ahead of their upcoming international commitments.
India enter the tournament as the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history. The Indian women have won the prestigious title seven times since the competition was first introduced in 2004. However, Sri Lanka will arrive as the defending champions after beating India in the 2024 final to secure their first-ever Women’s Asia Cup trophy.
A total of 15 matches will be played during the tournament, with the Dubai International Cricket Stadium serving as the sole venue. Following the group stage, the top teams will advance to the knockout phase, featuring two semi-finals before the grand final on September 13.
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Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Match Schedule
The 2026 Asian Games cricket competition will feature eight teams, divided into two groups of four. Group A includes India, Pakistan, Hong Kong and Thailand, creating a competitive pool with two of the region’s strongest cricketing nations. Group B features defending champions Sri Lanka, along with Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
Under the tournament format, each team will play three group-stage matches, facing every other side in their respective group once. These matches will determine the standings and decide which teams progress to the knockout stage.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-finalists will then compete for a place in the gold-medal match, while the remaining teams will continue their campaign through the relevant classification fixtures.
With India and Pakistan placed in the same group, their meeting could become one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka will enter Group B as the defending champions and will look to continue their strong record in the competition.
The group-stage format ensures that every match carries importance, with teams needing consistent performances across all three games to secure a place in the semi-finals.
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| August 28 | Thailand vs Hong Kong, China |
| August 29 | Sri Lanka vs UAE |
| August 30 | India vs Thailand |
| August 31 | Bangladesh vs Indonesia |
| September 1 | Pakistan vs Thailand |
| September 2 | Sri Lanka vs Indonesia |
| September 3 | India vs Hong Kong, China |
| September 4 | UAE vs Indonesia |
| September 5 | India vs Pakistan |
| September 6 | Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh |
| September 7 | Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China |
| September 8 | Bangladesh vs UAE |
| September 10 | Semi-final 1 |
| September 11 | Semi-final 2 |
| September 13 | Final |
Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Squads
This news update is based on reports from {espncricinfo}.
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, G Kamalini (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Mithali Ayodhya, Kavisha Dilhari, Imesha Dulani, Vishmi Gunaratne, Chamudi Praboda, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Nilakshika Silva, Kawya Kavindi, Sanjana Kavindi, Sugandika Kumari, Nimasha Meepage, Kaushini Nuthyangana, Hasini Perera, Chethana Vimukthi.
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (C), Nahida Akter (VC), Dilara Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Farjana Easmin, Juairiya Ferdous, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sarmin Sultana, Marufa Akter, Sultana Khatun, Shanjida Akther Maghla.
Thailand: Naruemol Chaiwai (C), Nannapat Koncharoenkai, Natthakan Chantham, Chanida Sutthiruang, Suleeporn Laomi, Chayanisa Phengpaen, Nannaphat Chaihan, Koranit Suwanchonrathi, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Thipatcha Putthawong, Phannita Maya, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Thanrada Seesawan, Naomi Hamilton.
Indonesia: Nanda Sakarini (c), Kadek Winda Prastini, Rahmawati Pangestuti, Wesika Ratna Dewi, Sang Maypriani, Ni Kadek Ariani, Derni Bangi, Dara Agung Laksmi, Lie Qiao, Rada Rani, Desi Wulandari, Putri Suwandewi, Kisi Salisa Kasse, Maria Corazon Wombaki, Sofia Velic.
Pakistan: Fatima Sana (C), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Sadaf Shamas, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Waheeda Akhtar.
UAE: Esha Oza (C), Archara Supriya, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Janani Thirukkumaran, Lavanya Keny, Mehul Kulkarni, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Theertha Satish, Uttara Iyer, Vaishnave Mahesh.
Hong Kong: Natasha Miles (C), Maryam Bibi, Chan Ka Ying, Chan Sau Ha, Marina Lamplough, Ruchitha Venkatesh, Shanzeen Shahzad, Chan Shing Yan Dorothea, Iqra Sahar, Joyleen Kaur, Mahekdeep Kaur, Mariko Hill, Siu Mei Wai, Wong Wing Kiu Hailey, Yasmin Daswani.
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Where & How to Watch the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in India?
Indian fans can watch the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 live on the Sony Sports Network, while the tournament will also be available for live streaming on the Sony LIV app.
The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan group-stage clash is expected to attract significant attention from Indian viewers. However, the excitement will continue to build as the tournament enters its decisive phase, with the knockout matches scheduled to begin on September 10.
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