Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 fixtures released; India to face Pakistan on September 5
Tournament Schedule and Groups
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has released the schedule for the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026, which will be held in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. The tournament features eight teams divided into two groups. India, three-time champions, are in Group A alongside Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, China. Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and hosts United Arab Emirates.
The competition will begin on August 28 with Thailand playing Hong Kong, China at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Sri Lanka will start their campaign against the UAE on August 29, while Bangladesh will play Indonesia on August 31. All 15 matches, including the semifinals and final, are scheduled to be played under lights at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
India’s Campaign and Key Fixtures
India will commence their tournament against Thailand on August 30. They are then scheduled to face Hong Kong, China on September 3. A highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan is set for September 5, which is expected to be a significant fixture in the league stage.
Pakistan’s other league-stage matches include playing Thailand on September 1 and Hong Kong, China on September 7. Sri Lanka, the winners of the previous edition in 2025, will play Indonesia on September 2 and Bangladesh on September 6. Bangladesh will conclude their group-stage fixtures against the UAE on September 8, while Indonesia will also play the UAE on September 4.
Squad Announcement and Player Focus
The Indian selectors have announced a 15-member squad for the Women’s Asia Cup, largely retaining the team selected for the upcoming Asian Games. The squad sees one change from the Asian Games roster, with all-rounder Shreyanka Patil being left out due to an ankle ligament injury. Her place has been taken by leg-spinning all-rounder Prema Rawat, who also replaced Patil in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup squad. Rawat, who is 24 years old, made her World Cup debut against South Africa in Manchester, contributing three runs and bowling two overs for 0 for 21.
Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the Indian side, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. The squad includes established players such as Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Renuka Thakur. The decision to continue with 18-year-old wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini as the reserve wicketkeeper, ahead of Yastika Bhatia, has been a notable point of discussion. Mandhana, Rodrigues, Sharma, and Ghosh are currently participating in The Hundred in England.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage. The first semifinal is scheduled for September 10, followed by the second semifinal on September 11. The winners of these matches will compete in the final on September 13 to determine the continental champions.
The full Indian 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.
The tournament is expected to serve as preparation for the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled from September 17 to 22.
Source: telanganatoday.com
