Women’s Asia Cup 2024: Teams, Schedule, Live Streaming and Key Details

The much-anticipated ninth edition of the Women’s Asia Cup is set to kick off in just a few days in Sri Lanka, adding an exciting layer to this year’s cricketing calendar. Defending champions India will enter the tournament as formidable favourites, looking to secure their title once again. But this isn’t just any tournament; it’s a crucial stepping stone leading up to the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh that will happen just a couple of months later. With both tournaments unfolding in the subcontinent, the Asia Cup serves as the perfect warm-up, reminiscent of the men’s ODI format last year.

What You Need to Know About the Asia Cup 2024

How many teams are battling it out this year?

This year’s Women’s Asia Cup boasts a record eight teams, marking the joint-highest participation in its history! Defending champions India and hosts Sri Lanka are joined by Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, and the UAE, while Nepal returns for their second appearance since their debut in 2016.

The teams are divided into two exciting groups of four:

* Group A: India, Pakistan, Nepal, UAE

* Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand

Full Squads for the Tournament

India (Defending Champions):

* Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur

* Vice-Captain: Smriti Mandhana

* Key Players: Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk)

Sri Lanka (Hosts):

* Captain: Chamari Athapaththu

* Key Players: Anushka Sanjeewani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Udeshika Prabodani

Bangladesh:

* Captain: Nigar Sultana Joty

* Key Players: Shorna Akter, Jahanara Alam, Rumana Ahmed

Pakistan:

* Captain: Nida Dar

* Key Players: Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Diana Baig

Thailand:

* Captain: Thipatcha Putthawong

* Key Players: Suwanan Khiaoto, Nattaya Boochatham

Malaysia:

* Captain: Winifred Duraisingam

* Key Players: Aina Najwa, Mas Elysa

Nepal:

* Captain: Indu Barma

* Key Players: Sita Rana Magar, Kritika Marasini

UAE:

* Captain: Esha Oza

* Key Players: Theertha Satish, Emily Thomas

Where and When Will the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup Take Place?

The tournament will unfold entirely at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. Following the success of the last edition in Bangladesh, which was also held at a single venue, fans can expect an electric atmosphere throughout the matches.

Mark your calendars! The action kicks off on Friday, July 19, with a thrilling opening match between Nepal and the UAE, followed by the highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan. The tournament will run for over a week, culminating in the final showdown scheduled for Sunday, July 28.

Full Schedule for the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 (All times in IST/Local time)

With India having clinched the continental crown seven out of eight times, they head into the tournament as clear favorites for an eighth title. Their dominance is unquestionable, especially after their commanding victory over Sri Lanka in the 2022 final, where they restricted the hosts to a mere 65 runs!

However, Bangladesh remains a formidable challenger, being the only other team to have lifted the Asia Cup trophy, stunning India in the 2018 final. The fierce rivalry between these teams adds extra spice to their encounters, as seen during their recent tightly contested series last year.

Let’s not forget about the hosts, Sri Lanka, who will look to leverage home advantage after finishing as runners-up in the last edition. Pakistan is also a dark horse, having defeated India by 13 runs in their last Asia Cup meeting.

Where to Catch the Action Live?

The 2024 Women’s Asia Cup will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network, with streaming available on Disney+ Hotstar. Don’t miss a single moment of the action!