The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 has brought together eight of Asia’s leading and emerging women’s cricket teams for a major T20 tournament in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Organised by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), the tournament began on August 28, 2026, and will conclude with the final on September 13, 2026. All 15 matches are scheduled in Dubai.
The competition features India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Hong Kong China and Indonesia, divided into two groups.
Defending champions Sri Lanka entered the tournament looking to retain the crown they won by defeating India in the previous edition, while seven-time champions India are chasing another continental title.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | Women’s Asia Cup 2026 |
| Official Competition | DP World Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 |
| Edition | 10th |
| Format | T20 / T20I |
| Organiser | Asian Cricket Council (ACC) |
| Host | United Arab Emirates |
| Venue | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| Start Date | August 28, 2026 |
| Final | September 13, 2026 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Groups | 2 |
| Total Matches | 15 |
| Defending Champions | Sri Lanka |
| Most Successful Team | India |
| India Captain | Harmanpreet Kaur |
| Pakistan Captain | Fatima Sana |
The official ACC website identifies the competition as the DP World Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Teams
Eight teams are competing in the tournament:
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- United Arab Emirates
- Thailand
- Hong Kong China
- Indonesia
The inclusion of developing cricket nations such as Indonesia and Hong Kong gives the tournament an important role beyond deciding the Asian champion, providing emerging teams opportunities to compete against some of the strongest sides in women’s cricket.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Groups
The eight teams have been divided into two groups of four.
Group A
| Team |
|---|
| India |
| Pakistan |
| Thailand |
| Hong Kong China |
Group B
| Team |
|---|
| Sri Lanka |
| Bangladesh |
| United Arab Emirates |
| Indonesia |
The top two teams from each group qualify for the semi-finals.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule
The group stage runs until September 8 before the knockout phase begins.
The first semi-final is scheduled for September 10, followed by the second semi-final on September 11.
The final will be played on September 13, 2026.
Knockout Schedule
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Semi-final 1 | September 10, 2026 |
| Semi-final 2 | September 11, 2026 |
| Final | September 13, 2026 |
India Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule
India were drawn alongside Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong China in Group A.
Their group-stage campaign includes matches against:
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| India vs Thailand | August 30 |
| India vs Hong Kong China | September 3 |
| India vs Pakistan | September 5 |
India’s clash with Pakistan is one of the most anticipated fixtures of the group stage.
India Qualify for Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Semi-finals
India have already secured their place in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 semi-finals.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side sealed qualification with an emphatic 137-run victory over Hong Kong China in Dubai on September 3.
India posted 193 for 5, powered by a sensational century from Smriti Mandhana.
Hong Kong were then dismissed for just 56, completing a dominant victory for India.
The result gave India their second consecutive win of the competition and confirmed their place in the knockout stage.
Smriti Mandhana Creates History With 124
Smriti Mandhana produced one of the standout performances of the tournament against Hong Kong.
The Indian opener smashed 124 from only 64 balls, including 14 fours and seven sixes.
It was Mandhana’s second T20I century, making her the first Indian woman to score multiple T20I hundreds.
Her innings helped India reach 193 for 5 before the bowlers completed the job.
India’s Bowlers Dominate Hong Kong
India’s bowling attack ensured there was never a realistic chase after Mandhana’s century.
Hong Kong were bowled out for 56, with Deepti Sharma taking three wickets and India’s other bowlers providing strong support.
The 137-run margin represented one of India’s biggest victories in women’s T20 internationals.
More importantly, it guaranteed India a semi-final berth before their highly anticipated encounter with Pakistan.
India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026
The India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026 match is scheduled for September 5 in Dubai.
It is the marquee contest of Group A and one of the tournament’s biggest fixtures.
Pakistan began their campaign by defeating Thailand by 35 runs, with Muneeba Ali and Pakistan’s spinners playing important roles in the victory.
With India already through to the semi-finals, the Pakistan encounter provides Harmanpreet Kaur’s team with an important opportunity to test their combination ahead of the knockout stage.
Pakistan Begin With Victory Over Thailand
Pakistan opened their Women’s Asia Cup campaign against Thailand on September 1.
Led by Fatima Sana, Pakistan registered a 35-run victory to begin the tournament positively.
Pakistan’s performances during the group stage will be particularly important because only two teams from Group A progress to the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka Enter as Defending Champions
Sri Lanka entered the 2026 tournament as the defending Women’s Asia Cup champions.
They won the previous edition after defeating India in the final.
Led by Chamari Athapaththu, Sri Lanka remain one of the strongest teams in Group B.
Their 2026 campaign has already included a 75-run victory over Indonesia, with Athapaththu producing a remarkable seven-wicket bowling performance.
Why Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Matters
The Women’s Asia Cup has become one of the most important regional competitions in international women’s cricket.
For established teams such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the tournament provides high-level T20 competition and an opportunity to test combinations.
For developing teams such as Thailand, Hong Kong China and Indonesia, it offers something equally important: regular international exposure against stronger opposition.
That makes the Asia Cup both a major trophy and an important development platform for women’s cricket across the continent.
India Chase Eighth Women’s Asia Cup Title
India are the most successful team in Women’s Asia Cup history, having won seven titles.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s team entered the 2026 competition aiming to add an eighth trophy after losing the previous final to Sri Lanka.
India’s early performances suggest they remain among the leading contenders.
With players such as Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh, India possess experience throughout their batting and bowling units.
The challenge will be maintaining that level once the tournament enters the knockout stage.
Players to Watch at Women’s Asia Cup 2026
Several of Asia’s leading women cricketers are central to the tournament.
Smriti Mandhana has already made a major impact with her record-breaking 124 against Hong Kong.
Harmanpreet Kaur brings leadership and extensive international experience to India.
Deepti Sharma remains one of India’s most important all-round options, particularly through the middle overs.
For Sri Lanka, Chamari Athapaththu remains their most influential player and has already delivered an exceptional bowling performance.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana leads a side looking to challenge India for Group A supremacy.
Road to the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final
The qualification route is straightforward:
Group Stage → Top two from each group → Semi-finals → Final
Four teams will advance from the eight-team group stage.
The two semi-final winners will then meet in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final on September 13 in Dubai.
