The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 has reached the knockout stage after an exciting group phase featuring eight teams. The tournament began on August 28 in Dubai and has brought together some of the leading women’s cricket teams in Asia, along with emerging sides looking to make their mark on the international stage.
The competition is being played in the T20I format, with eight teams divided into two groups of four. Each team plays the other sides in its group once, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. All matches are being played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
With the group stage now complete, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have secured the four semi-final positions. The first semi-final will see India face Bangladesh on September 10, followed by Sri Lanka against Pakistan on September 11. The tournament will conclude with the final on September 13.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Tournament Format
The 2026 edition features eight participating teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
The teams were divided into two groups. Group A contained India, Pakistan, Thailand and Hong Kong, China, while Group B included Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
Each team played three group-stage matches. A victory earned two points, while teams received no points for a defeat. The top two teams from each group progressed to the semi-finals.
This format made every group match important because teams had only three opportunities to collect points and improve their position. The final group matches were particularly significant because Bangladesh needed a result against UAE to confirm the last semi-final position.
Complete Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule
The group stage began with Thailand taking on Hong Kong, China on August 28. Sri Lanka and UAE followed on August 29 before India entered the competition against Thailand on August 30.
The complete group-stage schedule was as follows:
| Date | Match |
| August 28 | Thailand Women vs Hong Kong, China Women |
| August 29 | Sri Lanka Women vs United Arab Emirates Women |
| August 30 | India Women vs Thailand Women |
| August 31 | Bangladesh Women vs Indonesia Women |
| September 1 | Pakistan Women vs Thailand Women |
| September 2 | Sri Lanka Women vs Indonesia Women |
| September 3 | India Women vs Hong Kong, China Women |
| September 4 | United Arab Emirates Women vs Indonesia Women |
| September 5 | India Women vs Pakistan Women |
| September 6 | Sri Lanka Women vs Bangladesh Women |
| September 7 | Pakistan Women vs Hong Kong, China Women |
| September 8 | Bangladesh Women vs United Arab Emirates Women |
All of these matches were scheduled at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The listed match time was 6:30 PM local time in Dubai, equivalent to 8:00 PM IST.
August 28: Tournament Opener
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 officially began on August 28 with Thailand Women facing Hong Kong, China Women.
The opening fixture was important for both developing sides because collecting points early could provide a strong foundation for the rest of the group campaign.
The match also marked the beginning of a busy schedule in Dubai, with the tournament moving through the group-stage fixtures before the knockout matches.
August 29: Sri Lanka vs UAE
Defending champions Sri Lanka began their campaign against hosts United Arab Emirates on August 29.
Sri Lanka entered the tournament with considerable expectations after winning the previous edition. UAE, meanwhile, had the opportunity to test themselves against one of Asia’s strongest women’s cricket teams.
The match was the second fixture of the competition and opened Group B action.
August 30: India Begin Their Campaign
India Women started their Asia Cup campaign against Thailand on August 30.
India are historically the most successful team in the Women’s Asia Cup and entered the 2026 tournament as one of the major contenders. Their group also included Pakistan, making the later India-Pakistan fixture one of the most anticipated matches of the league stage.
India eventually produced a dominant group campaign, winning all three of their matches and finishing at the top of Group A.
August 31: Bangladesh vs Indonesia
Bangladesh Women met Indonesia on August 31.
For Indonesia, the tournament represented an important opportunity to gain experience against established Asian cricket teams. Bangladesh, on the other hand, entered the competition with ambitions of reaching the knockout stage.
The match formed part of a busy opening week in which all eight teams quickly moved into competitive action.
September 1: Pakistan vs Thailand
Pakistan Women faced Thailand on September 1.
Pakistan were among the teams expected to challenge for a semi-final position. Thailand also had an opportunity to collect valuable points and remain in contention in Group A.
The match became an important part of the qualification race before the group standings began to take shape.
September 2: Sri Lanka vs Indonesia
Sri Lanka continued their Group B campaign against Indonesia on September 2.
The defending champions were expected to challenge for the top position in their group, while Indonesia were gaining experience at the highest level of Asian women’s cricket.
Sri Lanka ultimately completed the group stage unbeaten and finished first in Group B with six points.
September 3: India vs Hong Kong, China
India faced Hong Kong, China on September 3.
This match produced one of the tournament’s biggest individual performances. Smriti Mandhana scored 124 from 64 balls, including 14 fours and seven sixes, as India posted a huge total.
India subsequently bowled Hong Kong out for 56 and secured a massive victory. The result strengthened India’s position at the top of Group A.
September 4: UAE vs Indonesia
The UAE and Indonesia met on September 4.
UAE produced one of their best performances of the tournament in this match. Their bowlers restricted Indonesia to a modest total before the UAE completed a successful chase.
The result gave UAE their only victory of the group stage and provided an important boost for the hosts.
September 5: India vs Pakistan
One of the most anticipated matches of the group stage took place on September 5 when India met Pakistan.
India’s bowlers dominated the contest, dismissing Pakistan for just 55. Sree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed three wickets each, while Deepti Sharma added two.
India completed the chase in only 8.4 overs to win by seven wickets. The victory confirmed India’s position at the top of Group A and helped Pakistan strengthen their own semi-final qualification position.
September 6: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh met on September 6 in another important Group B fixture.
The match had significant implications for the race for the top two positions. Sri Lanka maintained their unbeaten campaign, while Bangladesh remained in contention for second place.
Sri Lanka eventually finished first in Group B, while Bangladesh secured second position and a semi-final place.
September 7: Pakistan vs Hong Kong
Pakistan played their final group-stage match against Hong Kong, China on September 7.
Pakistan needed a positive result to confirm their place in the semi-finals. They produced a strong performance and defeated Hong Kong by 72 runs.
The result confirmed Pakistan as the second-placed team from Group A behind India.
September 8: Bangladesh vs UAE
The final group-stage match was played between Bangladesh and UAE on September 8.
Bangladesh entered the match knowing that victory would secure their place in the semi-finals. They scored 103 for seven before restricting UAE to 69 for nine, winning by 34 runs.
Rabeya Khan took three wickets, while Nahida Akter and Marufa Akter claimed two each. The victory gave Bangladesh four points and secured second place in Group B.
This result also confirmed the complete semi-final lineup.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Semi-Final Schedule
The semi-final stage begins on September 10.
September 10: India Women vs Bangladesh Women
The first semi-final will be played between India Women and Bangladesh Women at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
India qualified as Group A winners after winning all three of their matches. Bangladesh finished second in Group B after winning two of their three group matches.
The match is scheduled for September 10 at 8:00 PM IST.
India will enter the contest with considerable confidence after their dominant group-stage performances. Bangladesh, however, will be aiming to produce a strong knockout performance and prevent India from reaching the final.
September 11: Sri Lanka Women vs Pakistan Women
The second semi-final will take place on September 11.
Sri Lanka finished first in Group B with an unbeaten record, while Pakistan finished second in Group A. The two sides will compete for the second place in the final.
Sri Lanka are the defending champions and have also remained unbeaten during the 2026 group stage. Pakistan, meanwhile, will look to recover from their heavy defeat against India and make a strong push for the title.
The match will also be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
September 13: Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Final
The most important date of the tournament is September 13, when the final will be played.
The two semi-final winners will meet in the championship match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The final is scheduled for 8:00 PM IST.
At this stage, the finalists are not yet known. India must defeat Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka and Pakistan will compete for the other final position.
A potential India-Pakistan final is possible, but it would require India to defeat Bangladesh and Pakistan to overcome Sri Lanka in the second semi-final.
Key Dates to Remember
For fans following the tournament, several dates stand out.
September 10: India Women vs Bangladesh Women, first semi-final.
September 11: Sri Lanka Women vs Pakistan Women, second semi-final.
September 13: Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final.
All three knockout matches are scheduled to take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Teams That Reached the Semi-Finals
Four teams have survived the group stage.
India finished first in Group A with three wins from three matches. Pakistan finished second in the same group.
In Group B, Sri Lanka topped the table after an unbeaten campaign, while Bangladesh finished second.
Thailand, Hong Kong, China, UAE and Indonesia were eliminated during the group stage.
This produced the following semi-final matchups:
| Semi-final | Teams | Date |
| Semi-final 1 | India Women vs Bangladesh Women | September 10 |
| Semi-final 2 | Sri Lanka Women vs Pakistan Women | September 11 |
| Final | Semi-final winners | September 13 |
Why the Knockout Stage Matters
The group stage provided teams with three opportunities to build momentum, but the semi-finals are different because there is no room for recovery after a defeat.
India’s unbeaten record makes them one of the strongest contenders, while Sri Lanka have also remained undefeated. Pakistan and Bangladesh will enter the semi-finals knowing that one outstanding performance could completely change the tournament.
The knockout stage should therefore bring greater pressure and more tactical cricket. Bowling changes, batting order decisions and handling of key moments could determine which teams reach the final.
Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Schedule in Perspective
The Women’s Asia Cup 2026 began with eight teams competing across two groups and has now reached the final stages of the competition. The group matches provided several memorable performances, including India’s dominant wins, Smriti Mandhana’s record-breaking innings and strong campaigns from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
With the semi-finals now confirmed, attention turns to September 10 and September 11. India will face Bangladesh in the first knockout match, followed by Sri Lanka against Pakistan.
The tournament will then reach its conclusion on September 13, when the two semi-final winners compete for the Women’s Asia Cup title.
For cricket fans, these final three dates represent the most important part of the 2026 competition. After nearly two weeks of group-stage action, the tournament has reached the stage where every match can decide the champion.