Cricket, Women’s Asia Cup 2024: India look for their eighth title – All you need to know

The 2024 Women’s T20 Asia Cup, which is set to begin in Sri Lanka on Friday, will mark the ninth edition of the continental tournament.

The tournament will be held in the T20I format for the fifth consecutive time and will act as a preparatory event for the upcoming 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which is slated to be held in Bangladesh in the months of October and November.

A total of eight teams will compete in the Asia Cup. The teams have been divided into two groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Women’s Asia Cup 2024 Groups

Group 1: India, Nepal, Pakistan and United Arab Emirates

Group 2: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand

Reigning champions India will start as the favourites in the competition and have been drawn in Group 1 alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates.

Group B, meanwhile, consists of hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand.

India have traditionally dominated the Women’s Asia Cup and will be expected to cruise to the title once again. They have won all but one edition of the tournament – they lost the 2018 final to Bangladesh.

The recently concluded series against South Africa displayed that India have a lot of fine-tuning to do ahead of the T20 World Cup. The No 3 spot in the batting order remains a major issue for them and with Renuka Thakur looking off-colour, the pace department also needs a bit of work.

The Asia Cup provides just the right conditions for Harmanpreet Kaur and Co to check their preparations and finalise their team ahead of the World Cup.

India will start their campaign on Friday against Pakistan before going up against the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and Nepal on Tuesday.

Here’s a look at the schedule of the tournament:

Squads

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan

Pakistan: Nida Dar (C), Iram Javed, Sadia Iqbal, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Najiha Alvi, Syeda Aroob Shah, Nashra Sundhu, Tasmia Rubab, Omaima Sohail, Tuba Hassan

United Arab Emirates: Esha Rohit Oza (C), Kavisha Kumari, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Lavanya Keny, Emily Thomas, Heena Harish Hotchandani, Mehak Thakur, Indhuja Nandakumar, Rinitha Rajith, Khushi Mohan Sharma, Rishitha Rajith, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish, Vaishnave Mahesh

Nepal: Indu Barma (C), Kajol Shrestha, Rubina Chettri, Sabnam Rai, Sita Rana Magar, Rajmati Airee, Puja Mahato, Bindu Rawal, Roma Thapa, Mamta Chaudhary, Kabita Joshi, Kabita Kunwar, Dolly Bhatta, Kritika Marasini, Samjhana Khadka

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (C), Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Murshida Khatun, Shorifa Khatun, Ritu Moni, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sultana Khatun, Jahanara Alam, Dilara Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Rabeya Khan, Rumana Ahmed, Marufa Akter, Sabikun Nahar Jesmin

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (C), Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Ama Kanchana, Udeshika Prabodani, Kawya Kavindi, Sugandika Kumari, Achini Kulasooriya, Kaveesha Dilhari, Vishmi Gunarathne, Inoshi Priyadarshani, Nilakshi De Silva, Sachini Nisansala, Shashini Gimhani

Thailand: Thipatcha Putthawong (C), Nannapat Khoncharoenkai (WK), Suwanan Khiaoto (WK), Koranit Suwanchonrathi, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosenanee Kanoh, Suleeporn Laomi, Phannita Maya, Chayanisa Phengpaen, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Nattaya Boochatham, Chanida Sutthiruang, Kanyakorn Bunthansen, Nannaphat Chaihan

Malaysia: Winifred Duraisingam (C), Mas Elysa, Ainna Hamizah Hashim, Wan Julia, Mahirah Izzati Ismail, Aina Najwa, Aisya Eleesa, Nur Izzatul Syafiqa, Arianna Natasya, Elsa Hunter, Dhanusri Sri Muhunan, Suabika Manivannan, Amalin Sorfina, Nur Aisyah, Irdina Beh Nabil