Newspaper.fyi No. 027 · Sat, 5 Sep 2026
Sport

India Women face Pakistan in Asia Cup Group A

Dubai hosts the clash at about 8:00 PM IST on Saturday.

India Women meet Pakistan Women in Group A of the Women's Asia Cup 2026 on Saturday at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the match due around 8:00 PM IST.

India are already through to the semi-finals after Smriti Mandhana's 124 off 64 balls powered a 137-run win over Hong Kong China on Thursday. Sportstar and India Today reported that knock as a record night: Mandhana moved past Mithali Raj as women's cricket's leading international run-scorer, posted the highest score by an Indian in Women's T20Is, and hit 14 fours and seven sixes in the innings.

Harmanpreet Kaur captains India. Pakistan remain in the semi-final hunt after beating Thailand, but previews have flagged batting collapses as their main worry after they were 25 for 3 in the powerplay before defending 119 in that game. The sides last met at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in June, when India won by 64 runs with Mandhana scoring 68.

In India, Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV carry the game. Cricket Addictor and other match previews list Dubai as the venue and Saturday night as the slot.

India versus Pakistan always pulls a bigger audience than a dead rubber. For India, already qualified, it is a chance to sharpen middle-order and bowling plans before the knockout round. For Pakistan, it is still a live group match with semi-final maths attached.

Mandhana's form is the subplot everyone will watch. A century against Hong Kong changes how Pakistan have to bowl in the powerplay, and it gives India a free hit to keep pressure on without jeopardising qualification.

Toss and team news land in the evening. Watch whether India rest anyone with the semi-final locked, and whether Pakistan's top order survives the new ball. A clean India win would keep Dubai's Group A story simple heading into the last four.