Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule Announced
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has released the schedule for the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026, set to take place in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. The tournament will feature eight teams competing for the continental title. A significant fixture in the league stage will see India, three-time champions, renew their rivalry with Pakistan on September 5.
India has been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China. Their campaign will commence on August 30 against Thailand, followed by a match against Hong Kong, China on September 3. The highly anticipated clash with Pakistan will then follow on September 5. All 15 matches, including both semifinals and the final, are scheduled to be played under lights at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Tournament Structure and Key Matches
The eight participating teams are divided into two groups of four. Group A consists of India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China. Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and hosts United Arab Emirates. The tournament will open on August 28 with a match between Thailand and Hong Kong, China.
Other notable group stage matches include Sri Lanka beginning their campaign against UAE on August 29, and Bangladesh facing Indonesia on August 31. Pakistan‘s other league-stage fixtures include playing Thailand on September 1 and Hong Kong, China on September 7. Sri Lanka, the winners of the previous edition held in 2025, will also play Indonesia on September 2 and Bangladesh on September 6.
Bangladesh will conclude their group-stage matches against UAE on September 8, while Indonesia is also scheduled to play UAE on September 4. The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage. The first semifinal is slated for September 10, with the second semifinal following on September 11. The winners of these semifinals will then compete in the final on September 13 to determine the champions.
India’s Squad for the Asia Cup
The Indian selectors have largely maintained the squad for the Women’s Asia Cup, showing continued confidence in young wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini. The 15-member squad, announced recently, includes only one change from the team selected for the upcoming Asian Games. All-rounder Shreyanka Patil has been omitted as she recovers from an ankle ligament injury that affected her ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign.
Prema Rawat, a leg-spinning all-rounder, has retained her place in the squad. She was previously drafted into the World Cup squad as a replacement for Shreyanka Patil. The decision to continue with 18-year-old Kamalini as the reserve wicketkeeper is a key talking point, especially as Yastika Bhatia, despite her century in a recent Test at Lord’s, was not selected.
Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the Indian side, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. The squad also features experienced players such as Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Renuka Thakur, as India aims to reclaim the continental title. The Asia Cup is expected to be a crucial preparation event ahead of the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled from September 17 to 22.
The full India squad includes: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), G Kamalini (wicketkeeper), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, and Kranti Gaud. Reserves named are Pratika Rawal, Uma Chetry (wicketkeeper), Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare, and Minnu Mani. Vice-captain Mandhana, along with Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh, are currently participating in The Hundred in England.
The tournament will serve as a significant platform for teams to showcase their talent and prepare for upcoming international commitments. The final match to decide the continental champions is scheduled for September 13 in Dubai.
Source: telanganatoday.com
