After a thumping win over Thailand in their opening game, India will take on Hong Kong in their next Group A encounter of the 2026 Women’s T20 Asia Cup.
For the game, here we present our preview and predictions.
The Women in Blue were put to bat in their opening game against Thailand. However, after a brisk start from Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, and Pratika Rawal, a middle-order collapse followed and the team could only manage 159 in their 20 overs.
Verma led the run chart with a fluent 64, while Rawal and Mandhana also got starts before India’s experienced and explosive middle order, comprising Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, and Bharti Fulmali, failed to capitalise on the strong start. India were 108/2 at one point and slipped to 137/9 before Kranti Gaud’s late runs got them close to 160.
While the middle order didn’t click in the opening game, it won’t be much of a worry for coach Amol Muzumdar and coach Harmanpreet Kaur, given there is simply too much talent and experience to be affected too badly by one low score. While Mandhana, Verma, and Rawal provide explosiveness at the top, India will hope the middle-order batters score some runs before the latter stages of the tournament.
While their batting wasn’t up to the mark, India’s bowlers made sure Thailand never got a chance to even come close to the target. Kranti Gaud led the bowling attack and struck in the very first over before Nandni Sharma and the spin duo of Sree Charani and Deepti Sharma wrapped up the Thai innings cheaply, handing India a 94-run win.
In the slow, gripping conditions, India’s slower bowlers will be key and look to build on their strong start against Hong Kong.
As for the Hongkongers, they suffered a narrow loss in their opening game, in which they too faced Thailand, going down by six runs.
Hong Kong’s spinners and slower bowlers started well, with Kary Chan, Alison Siu, and Marina Lamplough running through the Thai batting line-up on a Dubai track that suited them.
While their bowling was stellar, Hong Kong’s batting let them down in a paltry chase of 121. The experienced Mariko Hill lasted only a couple of balls, and while Kary Chan and keeper Yasmin Daswani got some runs, like India they too suffered a middle-order collapse, falling agonisingly short.
Both India and Hong Kong have already played on this Dubai pitch and will know the conditions, knowing their slower bowlers will be key.
While both sides had an off day of sorts with the bat in their respective opening games against Thailand, the Indian squad simply has too much experience and talent on paper to fall to this Hong Kong line-up. We have Harmanpreet Kaur and Co as the clear favourites to win this encounter.
Fantasy XI: Smriti Mandhana (c), Kary Chan, Pratika Rawal, Mariko Hill, Maryam Bibi, Richa Ghosh (wk), Marina Lamplough, Deepti Sharma, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Alison Siu
Venue: Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, UAE
Winners Prediction: India
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