With less than a week to go, the ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup will take place from 19th July, with the final being played on 28th July, and Sri Lanka as hosts. As teams gear up for this ninth edition of Asia Cup, the spotlight is on the key players who are expected to make a significant impact with the bat.
In this article, we will go through the players who are poised to be the batting stars for their respective teams in the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup.
India: Smriti Mandhana
Indian opener Smriti Mandhana enters the Asia Cup after an exceptional all-format series against South Africa. The left-handed batter scored 100 runs in the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa, including an unbeaten 54 in the last T20I. The southpaw is an explosive opener, and if she gets going, she’s unstoppable for the opponents. The star opener might be India’s leading run-scorer in the ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup and potentially top the chart as the leading run-scorer during the tournament.
Pakistan: Sidra Amin
Pakistan will heavily rely on Sidra Amin to provide solid starts in the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup. Though Sidra Amin had an ordinary display in Pakistan’s series against England, she was Pakistan’s leading run-scorer during the home series against the Windies, where she was also the second-leading run-scorer, amassing 159 runs in five matches. Post Bismah Maroof’s retirement, Pakistan’s batting has been vulnerable, and hence the team will rely on Sidra Amin to not just set the tone upfront but also carry on for as long as she can. She also was the fourth in the list of most runs scored during the 2022 edition of the Women’s Asia Cup, as well as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer with 158 runs in 7 matches.
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty
From the Bangladesh side, the focus will be on skipper Nigar Sultana, whose presence and experience at the top order bring stability to the Bangladesh batting lineup. She was the leading run-scorer in the 2022 Women’s Asia Cup for Bangladesh with 128 runs in five matches and also topped the chart for her national side during the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup with 123 runs in 4 matches. The Bangladesh side will hope she replicates her past tournament batting performances in the upcoming edition of the Women’s Asia Cup, likely making her the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh.
Malaysia: Mas Elysa
The right-handed batter from Malaysia is counted on to be the leading run-scorer for the team. She was sixth in the list of most runs scored in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup, amassing over 163 runs in 6 matches, and was also Malaysia’s second-leading run-scorer in that tournament. Her team will hope she turns out to be the standout performer with the bat in the upcoming edition of the Women’s Asia Cup.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu
Sri Lanka’s most important player and captain, Chamari Athapaththu, will be eager to lead her side on home soil as they look to win their maiden Asia Cup title. She has been in outstanding touch since 2023, including smashing a century in the 2024 T20 World Cup Global Qualifier final against Scotland, scoring 102 off 63 balls. She was the leading run-scorer in the global qualifiers, scoring 226 runs in six matches. Although she didn’t have a great series against the Windies in the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka, scoring only 65 runs in three innings, with the likes of Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand in the group, expect Athapaththu to bring her ‘A-game’ to the fore.
Nepal: Rubina Chhetry
Rubina Chhetry is expected to be the leading run-scorer for Nepal in the upcoming edition of the Women’s Asia Cup. The right-handed batter had an impressive display in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup, where she was Nepal’s leading run-scorer, accumulating 155 runs in five matches, including a century against Malaysia, scoring an unbeaten 118. Chhetry’s contributions with the bat are crucial for Nepal’s success, making her a standout player to watch in the ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup.
Thailand: Nannapat Koncharoenkai
The Thailand opener will look to lead her side in the batting department in the upcoming Asia Cup. She scored 72 runs in the four matches in the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. Koncharoenkai will play a vital role in Thailand’s batting, which relies heavily on their top order.
United Arab Emirates (UAE): Esha Oza
The UAE captain will be one of the batters to watch and is a potential candidate for the top 5 run-scorers in the Women’s Asia Cup. She had a phenomenal run in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers 2024, where she was the second-leading run-scorer, accumulating 189 runs in five matches, including two fifties. Oza will play a crucial role in the UAE’s success throughout the tournament and will also lead her team in the ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup. She has consistently accumulated runs in major tournaments for the UAE.