India will enter the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup with one goal: win the title. India’s women’s cricket team has dominated the tournament for so long and has so far won seven of the nine editions in the ODI and T20I formats.
Despite such a great record, former India cricketer and women's team coach WV Raman believes anything less than the trophy would be a major disappointment for Harmanpreet Kaur's side. Speaking in an exclusive interview with TimesofIndia.com at Sony Sports Network's exclusive conference.
India will begin their campaign against Thailand on August 30 in Dubai. The 10th edition of the Women's Asia Cup will have eight teams and will be played in the T20I format.
India has a good Asia Cup record
India is still the most successful team in the history of the Women's Asia Cup.
The team has won seven of nine editions so far. In the T20 format, India has won three of the five editions played.
However, India will have to make up for their disappointment in the previous edition.
Sri Lanka defeated India in the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup final in Dambulla by eight wickets. Sri Lanka are now the defending champions and will be looking to win the trophy again in 2026.
Raman believes India can regain the title.
"Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be tough competition for India," Raman said and warned the team not to underestimate Thailand.
Thailand still has much improvement to make and players who can make an impact. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand will all pose challenges for India, so the tournament could feature some tough games.
Jemimah Rodrigues' absence a big blow
India will not have their full-strength batting line-up in the tournament. Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Her absence leaves a big hole in India’s middle order, as she is part of the team’s T20I batting combination.
India has also been without pace-bowling all-rounders Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam for more than five months.
That means Harmanpreet and team management will have to make some important decisions about their playing XI.
One of the biggest questions will be how India rearranges their batting order without Jemimah.
Pratika Rawal gets her T20I opportunity
Jemimah's absence has opened the door for Pratika Rawal, who has received her first India T20I call-up.
Rawal has already shown well in longer formats and ODIs. But her experience in T20 cricket is limited.
Raman believes India will need to figure out where Rawal fits in the batting order.
The opening combination of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma is likely to remain unchanged. That leaves India with a decision to make about the middle order.
Rawal could walk into the playing XI - though her place in the team will depend on how the team wants to balance the batting line-up.
WV Raman wants Harmanpreet at No. 3
Another big batting decision is Captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
When Jemimah plays at No. 3, Harmanpreet generally bats at No. 4 in T20Is.
Raman, however, believes that the captain should move up to No. 3 in the Asia Cup.
With Jemimah not present, Harmanpreet could play a larger role in the middle order and keep the team in the middle order stable.
She will also be crucial if India is in for a stronger bowling attack later in the tournament.
Richa Ghosh and Bharti Fulmali can provide power.
India also has two aggressive batters who can change the game quickly: Richa Ghosh and Bharti Fulmali.
Both players are able to score quickly as women in the Women’s Premier League.
Richa has a strike rate of 155.05 among batters who have faced at least 100 balls in the WPL since 2024, while Fulmali has scored at a strike rate of 149.76.
Their ability to score boundaries could be particularly useful in the middle and lower order.
But Fulmali's place in the team has not always been secure.
India dropped her after one innings in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, where the team failed to reach the knockout stage.
Asia Cup could be important for Fulmali
The Asia Cup will give Fulmali a chance to make herself a part of India’s T20 team, Raman believes.
If the team sees her as such a big part of their plan for the next few years, running her in the tournament might help them to understand what she’s capable of.
Instead of judging her after one or two games, India could give her a longer opportunity and allow her to settle into her role.
Fulmali has a reputation as a big hitter, and that ability could be beneficial in the latter stages of T20 innings.
India can't take any team lightly.
India may be the favourites, but Raman thinks the team cannot afford to become complacent.
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are still strong opponents, while Thailand has become an improving side.
Sri Lanka will be most confident after defeating India in the 2024 final.
The tournament will also feature Bangladesh, UAE, Indonesia, and Hong Kong.
The top two teams in each group will qualify for the semi-finals. India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong are in Group A, while defending champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, and Indonesia are in Group B.
India's team will start against Thailand in the group stage and next play against Hong Kong and Pakistan.
The India-Pakistan match on September 5 will be one of the biggest games of the group stage. India has won 14 of their 17 T20I games against Pakistan.
India has a point to prove
India will be able to show that they are still the best team in Asian women’s cricket at the Women’s Asia Cup.
But the 2024 final proved Sri Lanka could challenge them.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side will therefore have to balance expectations with the need to adapt to changing circumstances.
Jemimah’s absence means the team will have to make changes, and players like Pratika Rawal and Bharti Fulmali should be given more responsibilities.
At the same time, experienced players like Harmanpreet, Smriti, and Shafali will be expected to lead the way.
All eyes on India
The tournament will begin on August 28 in Dubai and the final on September 13. India will play their first match on August 30 against Thailand.
The expectation is clear for Harmanpreet Kaur and her team.
India don’t just come to the tournament to compete; they will be there to win. Their record makes them one of the favourites, and the team will carry out all that.
As WV Raman put it, anything less than the title can be seen as a major disappointment.
But with Jemimah Rodrigues not available and so many questions about the batting order still there, India will have to solve those issues quickly.
If Harmanpreet can find the right combination, give her middle-order batters consistent opportunities, and get strong performances from her experienced players, India will have a very good chance of bringing the Asia Cup trophy back home.
