The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 is now heading into the knockout stage, with Bangladesh Women facing India Women in the 1st Semi-Final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The match is scheduled to start at 8:00 PM IST, and the winning team will book its place in the final. Bangladesh reached this stage after winning against Indonesia and the UAE, while they suffered a four-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka. India, on the other hand, finished their group matches with wins over Thailand, Hong Kong and Pakistan. With a place in the final on the line, this will be a crucial game for both sides, where one good performance could decide who goes through.
India will go into the semi-final after a strong group-stage campaign in which they won all three of their matches. They started with a 94-run win over Thailand, followed that with a 137-run victory against Hong Kong, and then defeated Pakistan by seven wickets. Bangladesh also had two important wins in their group, beating Indonesia by 71 runs and the UAE by 34 runs, although they lost to Sri Lanka by four wickets. India have also had the upper hand in their recent meetings with Bangladesh, including their five-wicket win in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. Bangladesh will now have another chance to challenge India, and they will be hoping to produce a better performance when the two teams meet in this knockout game.
Squads:
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Bharti Fulmali, Kranti Gaud, Richa Ghosh, Gunalan Kamalini, Pratika Rawal, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Nandani Sharma, N Sree Charani, Radha Yadav
Bangladesh Women’s Cricket Team
Nigar Sultana (C), Nahida Akter (VC), Dilara Akter, Fahima Khatun, Farjana Easmin, Juairiya Ferdous, Marufa Akter, Sobhana Mostary, Rabeya Khan, Ritu Moni, Sanjida Akter Meghla, Sarmin Sultana, Sharmin Akhter, Shorna Akter, Sultana Khatun, Sumaiya Akther
Players to watch out:
Nigar Sultana Joty
Nigar Sultana will be one of Bangladesh’s main players to watch in this semi-final, especially with the responsibility of leading the side in a knockout match. She has scored 231 runs in 10 matches, with an average of 25.67 and a strike rate of 99.56. As captain and wicketkeeper-batter, she has an important role both behind the stumps and with the bat. Bangladesh will need her to spend time at the crease and help the team build a solid innings against India. A useful contribution from Nigar could give Bangladesh the kind of start and stability they need in a high-pressure game.
Marufa Akter
Marufa Akter has been one of Bangladesh’s important performers with the ball and will be expected to make an impact against India. She has taken 14 wickets in 10 matches, while her economy rate stands at 5.94 and her bowling strike rate is 14.71. She has shown that she can pick up wickets while also keeping the opposition’s scoring under control. India have a strong batting line-up, so Bangladesh will need their bowlers to find breakthroughs at important moments. Marufa’s ability to remove key batters and keep things tight could make her one of the biggest factors in Bangladesh’s chances of reaching the final.
Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana will be a major batting threat for India in the semi-final after putting together strong numbers in her recent matches. She has scored 397 runs in 10 matches, with an average of 39.7 and a strike rate of 149.81. Her attacking batting can put pressure on bowlers from the opening overs and help India get off to a quick start. Bangladesh will need to find a way to control her scoring, particularly during the powerplay when she can make a big difference in a short period. If Mandhana gets set and continues for a long innings, India could gain a strong advantage early in the match.
N Sree Charani
N Sree Charani has been among India’s most effective wicket-takers in the recent statistics and will be an important player in the bowling attack. She has picked up 24 wickets in 10 matches, with an economy rate of 5.68 and a strike rate of 9.33. Those numbers highlight her ability to take wickets regularly while also keeping the run rate under control. Bangladesh will have to be careful against her, particularly when trying to build partnerships in the middle overs. If Charani can continue her wicket-taking form, she could make it difficult for Bangladesh to put together a big total.
Pitch:
The Dubai International Cricket Stadium can offer some assistance to fast bowlers, particularly when the ball is new and there is some movement available. Batters may therefore have to be patient during the first few overs and take a little time to understand the pace and bounce of the surface. Once they settle in, stroke-making can become easier and batters can start looking for more scoring options. The pitch may slow down as the innings moves on, which could give spinners a bigger role in the middle overs.
Weather:
The weather in Dubai is expected to stay clear around the match timings. At the start time, the temperature should be around 32°C and wth clear skies and no expected rain interruption during the match window, the teams should have suitable conditions for the full semi-final.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Nigar Sultana, Sobhana Mostary, Deepti Sharma, Ritu Moni, Marufa Akter, N Sree Charani, Nahida Akter, Sultana Khatun, Richa Ghosh
Match Details:
Date – September 10, 2026
Time – 8:00 PM IST
Venue – Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Broadcast – All matches of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network. Fans can also watch the tournament through the Sony LIV app and website.
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