Women’s Asia Cup Schedule Revealed: India-Pakistan Match on July 21; T20 World Cup in September
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has announced the schedule for the Women’s Asia Cup. The tournament will take place in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, from July 19 to 28. India and Pakistan are in the same group, and a blockbuster match between them is scheduled for July 21.
Women’s Asia Cup to be Followed by Women’s T20 World Cup
After the Women’s Asia Cup, the Women’s T20 World Cup is also set to be held in September. Bangladesh will host the event. This marks the latest preparation for an Asian team by the ICC before the tournament.
8 Teams Divided into 2 Groups
The last Asia Cup was held in Bangladesh in 2022. During that time, 7 teams participated, each playing 6 matches against each other. During this tournament, one team increased to make it 8 teams. Beyond the most successful team, India, the tournament also includes 2018 champions Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia, and UAE.
Opening Match Between India and Nepal
The tournament will kick off on July 19 with a match between India and Nepal. On the same day, Pakistan will face UAE. Both teams are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand are in Group B.
Top 2 Teams from Both Groups to Reach Semifinals
The top 2 teams from both groups will advance to the semifinals. The semifinal matches will be held on July 26, with the winner facing off in the final on July 28.
The Last Encounter Between the Two Teams
In the Women’s T20 format, India and Pakistan played 14 matches against each other. India won 11 times, while Pakistan won only 3 times. The last match between them was during the T20 World Cup in February 2023, where India won by 7 wickets. The last encounter between the two teams in the Asia Cup was in 2022, where Pakistan won by 13 runs.
Schedule
- July 19: Pakistan Vs Nepal | India Vs UAE
- July 20: Malaysia Vs Thailand | Sri Lanka Vs Bangladesh
- July 21: Nepal Vs UAE | India Vs Pakistan
- July 22: Sri Lanka Vs Malaysia | Bangladesh Vs Thailand
- July 23: Pakistan Vs UAE | India Vs Nepal
- July 24: Bangladesh Vs Malaysia | Sri Lanka Vs Thailand
- July 26: Second Semifinal
- July 28: Final
Asia Cup to Coincide with The Hundred
This time, the Women’s Asia Cup will coincide with The Hundred Women’s Tournament, starting from July 23, featuring India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh. Besides, Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Atapattu is also part of the tournament. After the completion of the Asia Cup, both teams will move on to The Hundred.
Women’s Asia Cup Started in 2004
The ACC started the Women’s Asia Cup in 2004, and since then, the tournament has been held 8 times. India has won it 7 times, and Bangladesh once. From 2008 onwards, the tournament has been played in the ODI format 4 times, with India winning the trophy each time. The Women’s T20 Asia Cup started in 2012.
Since 2012, the tournament has been held 4 times in 2016, 2018, and 2022. The Indian women’s team has become champion thrice, while Bangladesh defeated India once in 2018 to clinch the title. In 2022, India defeated Sri Lanka in the final to win the trophy once again.
