Women's Asia Cup 2026: Full Schedule, Squad News & How to Watch

The tenth edition of the Women's Asia Cup — and the sixth to be played in T20 format — runs from August 28 to September 13, 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE. Eight teams, one venue, one match a day. Here's India's exact route through the group stage, who's confirmed in the squad, and where to actually watch it.

Tournament Overview

Dates: August 28 – September 13, 2026
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium (every match, single venue)
Format: T20, group stage into semi-finals and a final
Teams: 8, split into two groups of four
Defending champions: Sri Lanka, who beat India in the 2024 final
India's record: Seven-time champions, and the biggest favourites on paper after winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025

[!IMPORTANT] India go into this tournament as reigning ODI World Cup champions and defending Asian Games gold medallists. Losing the 2024 Asia Cup final to Sri Lanka is the one result they're specifically chasing back.

Groups & Format

Group A	Group B
India	Sri Lanka (holders)
Pakistan	Bangladesh
Thailand	UAE
Hong Kong China	Indonesia

The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, with the Group A winner facing the Group B runner-up, and the Group B winner facing the Group A runner-up.

India's Full Group-Stage Schedule

Date	Fixture	Notes
Sunday, August 30	India vs Thailand	India's tournament opener
Thursday, September 3	India vs Hong Kong China	Second group match
Saturday, September 5	India vs Pakistan	Marquee group-stage fixture

All group matches are single-innings T20s at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the daily match starting at 8:00 PM IST.

Find a cricket community near you

Watching with a group makes the India-Pakistan match better — find local cricket fans on Sport I Play.

Semi-Finals & Final

Semi-Final 1: Thursday, September 10, 2026 — Group A winner vs Group B runner-up, 6:30 PM IST
Semi-Final 2: Friday, September 11, 2026 — Group B winner vs Group A runner-up, 6:30 PM IST
Final: Sunday, September 13, 2026 — Dubai International Cricket Stadium

If India top Group A, as expected, they'll face the Group B runner-up in the first semi-final on September 10.

India Squad News

The BCCI has announced India's 15-member squad for the tournament, with Harmanpreet Kaur continuing as captain and Smriti Mandhana retaining the vice-captaincy. Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues are confirmed to lead the top order.

All-rounders Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam miss out through injury, having both been regular members of India's white-ball squad over the past year.

India travel to Dubai as the strongest side on paper in the competition, on the back of winning the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 and successfully defending their Asian Games gold. For the confirmed full 15-player list, check the BCCI's official squad announcement closer to the tournament — India has occasionally made late changes for injury cover in past editions.

How to Watch in India

TV: Sony Sports Network broadcasts every match live in HD and SD.
Streaming: The SonyLIV app carries the full tournament for viewers watching on mobile or web.
Match timing: One match a day, starting 8:00 PM IST, so there's no fixture clash across the group stage.

[!TIP] The India vs Pakistan match on September 5 is the single highest-demand fixture of the group stage — if you're planning to watch with friends or at a public screening, lock in your plan a few days ahead rather than the same evening.

Women's Asia Cup 2026 FAQs

When does the Women's Asia Cup 2026 start? The tournament runs from August 28 to September 13, 2026, entirely at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

When do India and Pakistan play each other? India face Pakistan in their final group-stage match on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

Where can I watch the Women's Asia Cup 2026 in India? Every match is live on Sony Sports Network on TV and streaming on the SonyLIV app, with matches starting at 8:00 PM IST.

Is this a 50-over or T20 tournament? T20. This is the sixth edition of the Women's Asia Cup to be played in the T20 format.

Join a cricket community for match-day meetups

Find fellow cricket fans in your city on Sport I Play to catch India's Asia Cup matches together.

Women's Asia Cup 2026: Complete Schedule & How to Watch