India Ready to Defend Title in Women's T20 Asia Cup 2024 Against Pakistan

The Women's T20 Asia Cup 2024 is set to commence in Sri Lanka on Friday, with the Indian women's cricket team aiming to defend their title as they begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan. This will be the ninth edition of the continental cricket tournament, featuring the top eight teams from Asia.

The Indian team clinched the last Women's Asia Cup in 2022 by defeating Sri Lanka in the final held at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Bangladesh. This year, Sri Lanka hosts the tournament, featuring eight nations drawn into two groups of four. The teams will face each other once in the group stage.

India is in Group A along with Pakistan, Nepal, and the UAE. Their campaign starts with a match against Pakistan on July 19, followed by UAE on July 21, and Nepal on July 23. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals on July 26, and the final will be held at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium on July 28.

India is the most successful team in Women's Asia Cup history, having won seven titles. Bangladesh has won once, while Sri Lanka and Pakistan have reached the finals but never clinched the title. Harmanpreet Kaur leads the 15-member Indian squad, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain.

The India squad includes: 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. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)