India Women are all set to begin another important campaign as they prepare for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, which will be held in Dubai from August 28 to September 13, 2026. The tournament will feature eight teams competing in the T20 format, with every side aiming to become the new Asian champions. India head into the competition as one of the strongest teams in the tournament and will once again be among the favourites to lift the trophy. Fans will be hoping Harmanpreet Kaur and her team can continue India’s proud history in the Women’s Asia Cup.
The participating teams have been divided into two groups for the league stage. Group A includes India, Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong, China, while Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates (UAE)and Indonesia. Every team will play the other three sides in its group once during the league stage. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, making every group-stage match extremely important in the race for the knockout rounds.
India’s campaign will begin against Thailand on August 30, 2026 (Sunday) before they take on Hong Kong, China on September 3, 2026 (Thursday). Their final league match will be against arch-rivals Pakistan on September 5, 2026 (Saturday) in what is expected to be one of the biggest matches of the tournament. The India-Pakistan rivalry has always attracted huge interest from cricket fans across the world, and this meeting is expected to be no different. A strong performance in these three matches will be crucial if India are to secure a place in the semi-finals.
The Women’s Asia Cup has always been a successful tournament for India, and the team will once again be aiming to add another title to its impressive record. Over the years, India have consistently been among the strongest sides in Asia and have produced several memorable performances in this competition. The tournament also provides valuable international match practice before future ICC events, making it an important competition for every participating team. With a good mix of experienced players and young talent, India will be hoping to make another successful run.
India will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, while Smriti Mandhana has been named the vice-captain. The batting unit includes experienced players such as Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Bharti Fulmali, while Deepti Sharma will once again play an important all-round role. Richa Ghosh and G. Kamalini have been selected as the wicketkeepers, while the bowling attack features Renuka Thakur, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Sree Charani, Prema Rawat, Nandni Sharma and Kranti Gaud. The squad gives India strength in every department as they prepare for another major tournament.
Once the league stage is completed, the tournament will move into the knockout rounds. The Group A winners will play the Group B runners-up in the first semi-final on September 10, 2026 (Thursday), while the Group B winners will face the Group A runners-up in the second semi-final on September 11, 2026 (Friday). Both semi-finals will begin at 6:30 PM. The winners of those two matches will then meet in the grand final on September 13, 2026 (Sunday), where the new Women’s Asia Cup champions will be crowned.
India Women’s Fixtures – Women’s Asia Cup 2026
August 30, 2026 (Sunday): vs Thailand – 6:30 PM
September 3, 2026 (Thursday): vs Hong Kong, China – 6:30 PM
September 5, 2026 (Saturday): vs Pakistan – 6:30 PM
Knockout Schedule
September 10, 2026 (Thursday): Semi-final 1 – Group A Winners vs Group B Runners-up – 6:30 PM
September 11, 2026 (Friday): Semi-final 2 – Group B Winners vs Group A Runners-up – 6:30 PM
September 13, 2026 (Sunday): Grand Final – 6:30 PM
India Women’s Squad:
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud
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