India begin Asia Cup campaign vs Thailand

India will begin its campaign at the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026 against Thailand on August 30 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, seeking to rebound from a disappointing recent run in the shortest format. The tournament, which started on August 28, features eight teams competing for the continental title until September 13. The Indian team enters the competition under pressure after suffering nine defeats in 16 T20Is this year, a slump that culminated in an early group-stage exit at the recent Women's T20 World Cup. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's form and future in T20 cricket have been subjects of discussion, though she did produce an important innings against Australia in the World Cup. The absence of dependable batter Jemimah Rodrigues for both the Asia Cup and the upcoming Asian Games leaves a significant gap in the middle order. Pratika Rawal has been added to the squad, but the team will continue to rely on the established opening combination of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma to provide strong starts. Fielding is another area India will aim to improve, as their previous outing in the format was undermined by missed opportunities.