Women’s Asia Cup: All you need to know

Match Facts:
Nepal vs UAE | Time: 2:15 NST

KATHMANDU: The 2024 Women’s Asia Cup is kicking off in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, on Friday.

A total of eight member teams of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) are participating in the tournament to be played in T20 format from July 19 to 28.

Nepal will play its first match against UAE on Friday, while it is scheduled to play its second group stage match against Pakistan on July 21, followed by its final group stage match against India on July 23.

The Nepali team reached Sri Lanka about two weeks ago to acclimatize to the conditions. It also played three practice matches against the development squad of the Sri Lankan Cricket Board. It lost the first two matches but won the last match.

Both the semifinals will be played on July 26, while the final will be played on July 28.

Tournament History

This is Nepal’s third participation in the Women’s Asia Cup. Nepal’s previous participation was in 2016 which featured six teams. It finished sixth in the tournament losing all five matches.

In 2012, eight teams participated in the Women’s Asia Cup. Nepal was in Group ‘B’ which also included Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and China. It finished fourth losing all three matches.

The Women’s Asia Cup was played in one-day format until 2008. The four editions since 2012 have been played in the T20 format.

India has won seven out of the past eight editions of the Women’s Asia Cup. India lost to Bangladesh in the final of the 2022 edition.  Sri Lanka are yet to win despite reaching five finals, while Pakistan have made it to the finals twice.

Participating Teams
The 2024 Women’s Asia Cup features eight member teams of the ACC. Four full members – Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – qualified for the tournament automatically. They are joined by the semifinalists of the 2024 ACC Women’s Premier Cup – UAE, Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand.

The teams are pooled in two groups of four teams each. Nepal is in Group ‘A’ alongside Asian powerhouses India and Pakistan, and UAE. Similarly, Group ‘B’ consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand.

The teams in the group will play each other once and the two best teams will qualify for the semifinal.

Squads
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

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Uma Chetry (wicket-keeper), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana.

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

Nepal: Indu Barma (capt), Sita Rana Magar, Rajmati Airee, Rubina Chhetry, Dolly Bhatta, Mamta Chaudhary, Kabita Joshi, Kabita Kunwar, Kritika Marasini, Puja Mahato, Bindu Rawal, Roma Thapa, Sabnam Rai, Samnjana Khadka, Kajal Sreshtha (wk)

Thailand: Thipatcha Putthawong (capt), Suwanan Khiaoto (wk), Nannapat Kocharoenkai (wk), Nattaya Boochatham, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosenan Kanoh, Phannita Maya, Chanida Sutthiruang, Suleeporn Laomi, Kanyakorn Bunthansen, Nannapat Chaihan, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Chayanisa Phengpaen, Koranit Suwanchonrathi, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi

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

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

UAE: Esha Oza (capt), Theertha Satish (wk), Emily Thomas, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Lavanya Keny, Khushi Sharma, Indhuja Nandakumar, Rinitha Rajith, Rishitha Rajith, Vaishnave Mahesh, Suraksha Kotte, Heena Hotchandani, Mehak Thakur, Rithika Rajith