The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 is set to bring together the leading women’s cricket teams from across Asia for another major T20 competition. The tournament will be played from August 28 to September 13, 2026, with all matches scheduled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
The 2026 edition will feature eight teams divided into two groups. India and Pakistan have been drawn in the same group, setting up one of the biggest matches of the tournament on September 5. The competition will begin with Thailand Women vs Hong Kong, China Women on August 28, while the final is scheduled for September 13.
India enter the tournament as the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history, having won the title seven times. However, they will not be the defending champions this time. Sri Lanka won their maiden Women’s Asia Cup title in 2024 after defeating India in the final at Dambulla.
With the tournament taking place entirely in Dubai and every match scheduled under lights, the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup promises a compact and high-profile T20 competition.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Women’s Asia Cup 2026 |
| Format | T20 |
| Start Date | August 28, 2026 |
| Final | September 13, 2026 |
| Host Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| Host Country | UAE |
| Teams | 8 |
| Groups | 2 |
| Group Matches | 12 |
| Semi-finals | September 10 and 11 |
| Final | September 13 |
| Match Start Time | 8:00 PM IST |
| Local Start Time | 6:30 PM UAE |
| Defending Champions | Sri Lanka |
| Most Successful Team | India – 7 titles |
The tournament will run for 17 days, although there are breaks between the group stage and knockout matches. All 15 matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the fixtures beginning at 6:30 PM local time in Dubai, equivalent to 8:00 PM IST.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule
The Asian Cricket Council has announced the complete schedule for the 2026 Women’s T20 Asia Cup.
India’s campaign will begin on August 30 against Thailand, followed by a match against Hong Kong, China on September 3. The biggest group-stage fixture will be India vs Pakistan on September 5.
Complete Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule
| Date | Match | Group/Stage | Time (IST) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 28 | Thailand Women vs Hong Kong, China Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| August 29 | Sri Lanka Women vs UAE Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| August 30 | India Women vs Thailand Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| August 31 | Bangladesh Women vs Indonesia Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 1 | Pakistan Women vs Thailand Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 2 | Sri Lanka Women vs Indonesia Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 3 | India Women vs Hong Kong, China Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 4 | UAE Women vs Indonesia Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 5 | India Women vs Pakistan Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 6 | Sri Lanka Women vs Bangladesh Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 7 | Pakistan Women vs Hong Kong, China Women | Group A | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 8 | Bangladesh Women vs UAE Women | Group B | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 10 | Semi-final 1 | Knockout | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 11 | Semi-final 2 | Knockout | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
| September 13 | Final | Final | 8:00 PM | Dubai |
All 15 matches are scheduled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and are listed for a 6:30 PM local start, which is 8:00 PM in India.
Important Dates
- August 28: Women’s Asia Cup 2026 begins
- August 30: India play their first match
- September 3: India vs Hong Kong, China
- September 5: India vs Pakistan
- September 8: Group stage ends
- September 10: First semi-final
- September 11: Second semi-final
- September 13: Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final
India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026
One of the most eagerly awaited fixtures of the tournament will be India Women vs Pakistan Women on September 5.
The match will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and will begin at 8:00 PM IST.
India and Pakistan have been placed in Group A, alongside Thailand and Hong Kong, China. This means the two traditional rivals will meet during the group stage, with the September 5 fixture likely to attract significant attention from fans across the region.
The India-Pakistan women’s cricket rivalry has become one of the most watched contests in Asian cricket. While the match carries enormous attention away from the field, it also has sporting significance because every group-stage result contributes to the race for the top two positions.
India have historically dominated the Women’s Asia Cup, while Pakistan are still searching for their first Women’s Asia Cup title. Pakistan have reached the final twice, in 2012 and 2016, but lost to India on both occasions.
The 2026 meeting will therefore be another important chapter in the rivalry.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Groups
Eight teams will participate in the tournament and have been divided into two groups of four.
| Group A | Group B |
|---|---|
| India Pakistan Thailand Hong Kong, China | Sri Lanka Bangladesh United Arab Emirates Indonesia |
Each team will play every other team in its group once.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals. The group winner will face the runner-up from the opposite group.
Semi-final Qualification
The knockout structure is:
Semi-final 1: Group A winner vs Group B runner-up
Semi-final 2: Group B winner vs Group A runner-up
The first semi-final is scheduled for September 10 and the second semi-final for September 11. The winners will meet in the final on September 13.
This format makes the group-stage matches particularly important. Finishing first in the group could potentially provide a more favourable route into the knockout stage.
India Women’s Team at Asia Cup 2026
India will enter the tournament with enormous expectations.
The Indian women’s team has been the dominant force in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup, winning the competition seven times. The team won the first six editions before Bangladesh ended India’s winning streak in 2018. India returned to the top in 2022, but Sri Lanka stopped them from winning an eighth title in 2024.
India’s leadership group remains built around Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana.
The initial India squad selected for the tournament included Harmanpreet Kaur as captain and Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, along with players such as Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur and others. Prema Rawat was selected in place of injured spinner Shreyanka Patil.
However, there was an important change before the tournament.
Jemimah Rodrigues ruled out
India suffered a significant setback when Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out of the Women’s Asia Cup after suffering a high-grade hamstring injury while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred.
The injury occurred on August 3, and subsequent assessment confirmed that Rodrigues would miss both the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games. India subsequently called up Pratika Rawal as her replacement.
Rodrigues is an important part of India’s T20 batting group, making her absence a major talking point heading into the tournament.
Her absence could provide an opportunity for other batters to take on greater responsibility, particularly in the middle order.
India’s Key Players to Watch
Harmanpreet Kaur
India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur remains one of the most experienced players in the squad.
She has been involved in multiple Women’s Asia Cup campaigns and has also led India to two of their recent title triumphs. Her experience will be particularly valuable in the knockout stages, where decision-making under pressure can determine the outcome of a T20 match.
With India looking to reclaim the trophy after losing the 2024 final, Harmanpreet’s leadership will be closely watched.
Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana is expected to be one of India’s most important batting options.
The left-handed opener provides India’s innings with an aggressive start while also being capable of controlling the tempo when required. Her experience in international cricket and franchise competitions makes her a key player for India.
She also played an important role in the 2024 final, scoring 60 runs against Sri Lanka.
Shafali Verma
Shafali Verma brings a completely different style to India’s opening combination.
Her ability to score quickly in the powerplay can put opposition bowling attacks under pressure. On a Dubai surface, India’s opening partnership could be particularly important because building a strong platform will allow the middle order to attack later in the innings.
Deepti Sharma
Deepti Sharma could once again be one of India’s most valuable all-rounders.
Her ability to contribute with both bat and ball gives India flexibility when selecting their playing XI. Her experience in T20 cricket also makes her an important option during the middle overs.
Richa Ghosh
Richa Ghosh provides India with explosive lower-middle-order batting and wicketkeeping skills.
Her ability to accelerate the scoring rate late in the innings could be crucial in close matches. She has also developed into an increasingly important part of India’s T20 setup.
Radha Yadav and India’s spin options
The UAE conditions can bring spin into the game, particularly during the middle overs.
India have several spin options, including Radha Yadav and Prema Rawat, while Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani can provide additional variety.
The ability to take wickets during the middle overs could become one of the major factors separating the top teams from the rest of the competition.
Sri Lanka Women’s Team: Defending Champions
Sri Lanka will enter the 2026 tournament as the defending champions.
Their 2024 title was historic because it was Sri Lanka’s first Women’s Asia Cup championship. Playing in front of their home crowd in Dambulla, Sri Lanka defeated India by eight wickets in the final.
India scored 165/6 in that final, with Smriti Mandhana making 60. Sri Lanka successfully chased the target, with Harshitha Samarawickrama remaining unbeaten on 69 and captain Chamari Athapaththu scoring 61.
Sri Lanka’s success ended India’s long-standing dominance of the competition and demonstrated that the gap between the leading Asian women’s teams continues to narrow.
Sri Lanka will begin their 2026 campaign against the UAE on August 29 before facing Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Their match against Bangladesh on September 6 could be particularly important in determining the final Group B standings.
Pakistan Women’s Team
Pakistan are another team with plenty to play for in the 2026 tournament.
The team has reached the Women’s Asia Cup final twice but has not yet won the competition. Pakistan lost to India in the 2012 and 2016 finals and will therefore be chasing their first continental title.
Pakistan’s group-stage schedule includes matches against Thailand, India and Hong Kong, China.
The India-Pakistan match on September 5 will be the headline fixture, but Pakistan cannot afford to overlook their other group matches because qualification for the semi-finals depends on finishing among the top two teams in Group A.
Pakistan’s current leadership is also undergoing an important phase. Fatima Sana has been named captain for major assignments and remains one of the country’s key all-round players. The Pakistan Cricket Board has also continued to introduce younger players into its T20 setup.
Bangladesh, Thailand, UAE and Indonesia
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 also provides an important platform for teams outside the traditional India-Sri Lanka-Pakistan battle.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh are one of only three nations to have won the Women’s Asia Cup.
They produced one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history when they defeated India in the 2018 final to win their maiden title.
Bangladesh will be in Group B with Sri Lanka, UAE and Indonesia. Their match against Sri Lanka on September 6 could have a major impact on the group standings.
Thailand
Thailand have continued to grow as a women’s cricket team and will face India and Pakistan in Group A.
They will play the tournament’s opening match against Hong Kong, China on August 28 before facing Pakistan on September 1 and India on August 30.
The match against India will be particularly valuable for Thailand because facing one of the world’s strongest women’s teams provides an opportunity to test their bowling and batting units at the highest regional level.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE will play in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia.
As the host nation of the tournament, the UAE will have the opportunity to play on familiar conditions, although the competition will be extremely challenging.
They begin their campaign against Sri Lanka on August 29.
Indonesia
Indonesia complete Group B and will play Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and UAE during the league stage.
For Indonesia, the Women’s Asia Cup provides an opportunity to gain experience against established Asian cricket nations and further develop the country’s women’s cricket programme.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Format
The tournament follows a straightforward T20 format.
The eight participating teams are divided into two groups of four.
Each team plays three group-stage matches.
That produces a total of 12 league matches.
The top two teams from each group progress to the semi-finals.
The semi-finals are scheduled for September 10 and September 11, followed by the final on September 13.
Therefore, a team that reaches the final will play a maximum of five matches:
- Three group-stage matches
- One semi-final
- One final
This format means that every group match is important because there is no second opportunity to play the same opponent during the league stage.
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
All matches of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The decision to use a single venue makes the tournament relatively compact and ensures that all teams play under broadly similar conditions.
The Dubai venue has hosted numerous major international cricket matches and is familiar territory for several Asian teams.
All fixtures are scheduled under lights.
The local start time is 6:30 PM in Dubai, which means matches will begin at 8:00 PM IST for viewers in India.
The evening schedule should also provide more comfortable conditions than afternoon cricket in the UAE, where high temperatures can significantly affect players.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in UAE: Why Dubai Conditions Matter
Playing in Dubai brings its own tactical considerations.
T20 cricket is often decided by small moments, and conditions can influence the way teams approach the powerplay, middle overs and death overs.
Teams will need to balance pace and spin carefully.
Spinners can play a major role during the middle overs, while fast bowlers may look to exploit any movement available with the new ball.
Batting teams, meanwhile, will want to make maximum use of the powerplay before accelerating toward the end of the innings.
The toss could also become an important factor depending on conditions on match day.
Because every match begins in the evening, dew could potentially become a consideration later in the tournament. Captains may therefore need to think carefully about whether to bat or bowl first after winning the toss.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and India’s Road to the Final
India’s route to the final begins with three Group A matches.
India vs Thailand – August 30
India’s first match will be against Thailand.
On paper, India will enter as favourites, but the opening game will be important because it gives the team an opportunity to settle into tournament conditions.
India vs Hong Kong, China – September 3
India’s second match comes against Hong Kong, China.
A strong result here would put India in a good position heading into their final group match.
India vs Pakistan – September 5
This is the biggest match of India’s group campaign.
The India-Pakistan encounter will be watched closely across the cricket world and could also have a major bearing on the final Group A standings.
After the group stage, India will need to finish inside the top two to qualify for the semi-finals.
What Happens After the Group Stage?
The group stage concludes on September 8.
The tournament then moves into the knockout phase.
The first semi-final will take place on September 10, followed by the second semi-final on September 11.
The exact teams in each semi-final will depend on the final group standings.
The team finishing first in Group A will face the Group B runner-up, while the Group B winner will face the Group A runner-up.
The winners of those two matches will qualify for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final is scheduled for September 13, 2026, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The final will begin at 8:00 PM IST.
The championship match will determine whether Sri Lanka can successfully defend their maiden title, whether India can reclaim the trophy, or whether another team can produce a historic run.
India’s seven titles make them the clear benchmark in the competition, but Sri Lanka’s victory in 2024 showed that the tournament is no longer a one-team contest.
Women’s Asia Cup Winners: A Look at Recent History
India have dominated the Women’s Asia Cup since its introduction.
The Indian team has won the competition seven times, making them the most successful side in tournament history.
Bangladesh won the title in 2018, while Sri Lanka captured their first championship in 2024.
The 2024 final was particularly significant because it was only the second time in India’s nine Women’s Asia Cup final appearances that India failed to win the title.
That makes the 2026 tournament especially interesting for India.
They will be attempting to regain the trophy while Sri Lanka will be trying to establish themselves as the new force in Asian women’s cricket.
Why Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Is Important
The Women’s Asia Cup has become much more than a regional tournament.
The growth of women’s cricket across Asia has increased the competitiveness of the competition, with teams such as Bangladesh, Thailand and the UAE developing rapidly.
For the strongest teams, the tournament provides an opportunity to test combinations under pressure.
For developing teams, it provides invaluable exposure to international-level competition.
The tournament also contributes to the continued growth of women’s cricket in the Asian region.
With all matches being played in the evening and at a single international venue, fans should have plenty of opportunities to follow the competition throughout its 17-day window.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026: India vs Pakistan Match Details
Match: India Women vs Pakistan Women
Date: September 5, 2026
Tournament: Women’s Asia Cup 2026
Stage: Group A
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Time: 8:00 PM IST
Local Time: 6:30 PM UAE
Group: Group A
This will be one of the most anticipated matches of the entire tournament.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final Details
Match: Final
Date: September 13, 2026
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium
Time: 8:00 PM IST
Local Time: 6:30 PM UAE
The finalists will be determined after the two semi-finals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Women’s Asia Cup 2026
When will the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 start?
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will begin on August 28, 2026, with Thailand Women facing Hong Kong, China Women.
When is India Women’s first match in Asia Cup 2026?
India will play their first match against Thailand on August 30, 2026.
When is India vs Pakistan in Women’s Asia Cup 2026?
India Women will face Pakistan Women on September 5, 2026, in Dubai.
Where will Women’s Asia Cup 2026 be played?
All matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, UAE.
What time will Women’s Asia Cup 2026 matches start in India?
The matches are scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM IST, corresponding to a 6:30 PM local start in Dubai.
How many teams are participating in Women’s Asia Cup 2026?
Eight teams are participating.
They are:
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Thailand
- Hong Kong, China
- United Arab Emirates
- Indonesia
Who are the defending champions of Women’s Asia Cup?
Sri Lanka are the defending champions after winning their maiden Women’s Asia Cup title in 2024 by defeating India in the final.
Which team has won the most Women’s Asia Cup titles?
India are the most successful team, with seven Women’s Asia Cup titles.
When are the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 semi-finals?
The first semi-final will be played on September 10, while the second semi-final will be played on September 11.
When is the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final?
The final is scheduled for September 13, 2026, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
How many matches will be played?
There will be 15 matches in total: 12 group-stage matches, two semi-finals and one final.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule: Final Takeaway
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 promises to be one of the most important women’s cricket tournaments of the year.
With eight teams, 15 matches and the entire competition being staged at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, the tournament has a compact format but plenty of high-profile fixtures.
For Indian fans, the biggest date on the calendar is September 5, when India take on Pakistan. Before that, India will face Thailand on August 30 and Hong Kong, China on September 3.
Sri Lanka arrive as the defending champions after their historic first title in 2024, while India will be determined to reclaim the trophy and add an eighth championship to their record.
Pakistan will be looking to make another deep run and finally win their first Women’s Asia Cup, while Bangladesh will hope to challenge for another title after their historic 2018 triumph.
The tournament also gives Thailand, Hong Kong, China, UAE and Indonesia an opportunity to compete against some of the strongest women’s teams in the region.
With the group stage ending on September 8, the semi-finals on September 10 and 11, and the final on September 13, cricket fans can expect an action-packed schedule through the first half of September.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 begins on August 28, with the final scheduled for September 13 in Dubai.
Schedule and tournament information in this article have been checked against the latest available reports and tournament listings as of August 19, 2026. The India squad section also reflects the later injury update that ruled Jemimah Rodrigues out and brought Pratika Rawal into consideration for the tournament.
