The Indian women’s cricket team has landed in Dubai ahead of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026, which kicks off on August 28. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the team is now settling in and beginning preparations for an important T20I campaign in the UAE.
This tournament features eight teams and will be played entirely in Dubai. India come in as one of the strongest sides in the field and will be looking to win back the trophy after Sri Lanka took the title in the previous 2024 edition.
The Women’s Asia Cup runs from August 28 to September 13, with all 15 matches scheduled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The group stage will be followed by two semifinals and the final.
India drawn in Group A
India have landed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong China. Defending champions Sri Lanka sit in Group B with Bangladesh, Indonesia, and hosts United Arab Emirates.
Each team plays the other three sides in its group during the opening stage. The top two teams from each group then move through to the semifinals, keeping the race for those knockout spots wide open right until the final group matches.
For India, the group throws up a particularly big clash against Pakistan. The two teams meet on September 5 in what looks set to be one of the most closely watched matches of the entire tournament.
India Women’s Asia Cup 2026 schedule
India open their campaign against Thailand on August 30. Their second group match comes against Hong Kong, China, on September 3, before the highly anticipated Pakistan fixture two days later.
India’s group-stage schedule looks like this:
| Date | Match | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| August 30 | India vs Thailand | 8:00 PM IST |
| September 3 | India vs Hong Kong China | 8:00 PM IST |
| September 5 | India vs Pakistan | 8:00 PM IST |
The tournament schedule lists matches starting at 6:30 pm Dubai time, which works out to 8:00 pm in India. The semifinals are scheduled for September 10 and 11, followed by the final on September 13.
India aim to reclaim the Asia Cup title
India have been one of the most successful teams in the T20 version of the Women’s Asia Cup, having won three of the previous five editions and finished runners-up on the other two occasions, including that defeat to Sri Lanka in the 2024 final.
This latest campaign gives Harmanpreet Kaur and her teammates a real shot at winning back the continental title. India also heads into the tournament with a solid core of experienced players alongside some promising younger squad members.
Captain Harmanpreet has spoken confidently about the team’s ability to handle whatever challenges lie ahead. India’s recent run of strong international performances has only added to the expectations building around the side ahead of this Asia Cup.
Harmanpreet Kaur leads experienced India squad
Harmanpreet Kaur captains the Indian team, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. The squad brings together several established names who have played big roles for India across T20 cricket over the years.
India’s squad for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 is:
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), G. Kamalini (wicketkeeper), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, and Pratika Rawal.
This squad blends experienced international campaigners with emerging talent. Pratika Rawal is also part of the group after being named as Jemimah Rodrigues’ replacement following Rodrigues’ hamstring injury.
Jemimah Rodrigues misses the tournament
One notable absence from India’s Asia Cup squad is batter Jemimah Rodrigues, who suffered a high-grade hamstring tear while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred on August 3.
The BCCI medical team assessed the injury at its Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and confirmed Rodrigues would miss both the Women’s Asia Cup in the UAE and the Asian Games in Japan. Pratika Rawal was subsequently named as her replacement for the Asia Cup.
Her absence takes an experienced T20 batter out of India’s options, but the squad still has several players capable of contributing with both bat and ball.
India vs Pakistan becomes a major attraction
The India-Pakistan match on September 5 looks set to be one of the biggest draws of the entire group stage. This rivalry always carries huge attention whenever the two teams face off, and this fixture will be their first meeting since the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Harmanpreet has acknowledged the unique pressure that comes with India-Pakistan matches, saying the sheer scale of expectations makes these games feel different from other international fixtures, requiring players to manage both the cricket and the attention surrounding it.
For India though, the immediate focus stays on getting through the group stage first. The team needs to handle Thailand and Hong Kong China before turning full attention to the Pakistan contest.
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Dubai hosts the entire Women’s Asia Cup
This 2026 tournament marks the first time Dubai is hosting the Women’s Asia Cup, with every single match being played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. That gives players and teams a consistent venue to work with throughout the competition.
The Emirates Cricket Board has confirmed matches will start at 6:30 pm local time. Tickets have also gone on sale through the District app and district.ae, with prices starting at Dh20, while general admission is free for 10 of the group-stage matches.
For fans in the UAE, this single-venue format means they can follow the whole tournament without travelling between different cities, and it gives Dubai a real chance to showcase its growing role in international women’s cricket.
India’s road to the Women’s Asia Cup final
If India finish among the top two in Group A, they advance to the semifinals on September 10 or 11. Their opponent will depend on the final group standings and how the crossover between Groups A and B plays out.
The final is scheduled for September 13 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India will be hoping to stay in contention right through the knockout stage and finish the tournament by lifting the trophy.
With Harmanpreet Kaur leading a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, attention now turns to India’s opening match against Thailand on August 30, and their bid to reclaim the Women’s Asia Cup crown.