India vs Pakistan, ACC Women’s Asia Cup T20 2026: Here are the predic…

India will take on Pakistan in a Group A clash at the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in Dubai later today with a chance to keep their 100% win record alive. The match comes with the Indians already through to the semi-finals but the rivalry should make it a contest worth watching. The Pakistanis will be looking to challenge a side that has had the better of them in recent meetings.

India have made a strong start to the tournament. They beat Thailand by 94 runs in their opening match before following it up with a 137-run win over Hong Kong. Smriti Mandhana was the standout performer in the second game, scoring 124 off 64 balls. Deepti Sharma has also been among the leading performers, taking six wickets across the first two matches. biznow.biz

Also Read: India vs Pakistan, ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Preview: When and where to watch?

Pakistan, meanwhile, will need a better performance if they are to trouble India. Their bowlers will have to find a way to contain Mandhana and Shafali Verma, while the batting unit will need to put up a competitive total. India’s middle order will also be tested, with the team likely to use the match to give players more time in the middle ahead of the semi-finals.

The two teams last met at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham, where India won by 64 runs. India posted 170/6 and then bowled Pakistan out for 106. Deepti Sharma was the star of the match, taking 5/10, while India’s batting gave them a comfortable cushion. The result continued India’s recent dominance in the rivalry.

India also have the stronger head-to-head record in T20Is. They have won 14 of the 17 meetings between the two sides, while Pakistan have won three.

India have also won eight of their last nine matches against Pakistan, including the 2026 T20 World Cup clash. Pakistan’s last T20I win over India came in the 2022 Asia Cup, when they won by 13 runs.

India definitely has a chance to continue their winning run and sharpen their game before the knockouts. while Pakistan will be wanting to put the past records aside and produce a result that could change the mood around their campaign.

India vs Pakistan, ACC Women’s Asia Cup T20 2026: Predicted playing XIs

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma

Pakistan: Muneeba Ali (wk), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana (capt), Umm-e-Hani, Eyman Fatima, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held a review meeting on Thursday, which was attended by secretary Devajit Saikia, Team India's Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill, T20I captain Shubman Gill, head coach Gautam Gambhir, and Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman and other board officials at the headquarters in Mumbai.

BCCI's secretary Saikia backed veteran opening batsman Rohit Sharma and dismissed the speculations surrounding his retirement from international cricket.

"He has been playing superbly in all the matches, so what more do you want? He scored 138 runs in the last match, so why is there any speculation? For now, I don't want to give any fodder to the speculators," he said.

The chairman of the senior men's selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, missed the BCCI's review meeting of India's limited-overs tours of Ireland and England, which in turn attracted plenty of attention.

Devajit Saikia expresses views on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

He also said that the management wants teenage star batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to serve the nation as legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar did in the past.

"You see, the BCCI can be proud that we are promoting a player of the age of 15 years who is already making his mark in the international scenario and we are very cautious that every right step he should take forward so that it should not be a one series or one year wonder. We want Vaibhav Sooryavanshi or any player of his stature to continue and serve like Sachin Tendulkar did for the country or other players who in the past became legends so we look at Vaibhav in a very serious manner. He's monitored from every angle and every step he is taking forward in his international career. The BCCI is taking a very close look at his future," said Saikia.

Recently, at the age of just 15 years and 157 days, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in the history of the Duleep Trophy, breaking a 57-year-old record. He also delivered impressive knocks during the concluded edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

(With Inputs from Agencies)

In the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026 match against Hong Kong, Team India secured a dominating victory by 137 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

During the match, Team India's star batswoman Smriti Mandhana smashed 124 runs. Facing just 64 deliveries, the left-handed batswoman accumulated 14 boundaries and seven maximums.

With this, she surpassed legendary Team India cricketer Mithali Raj to become the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. Speaking about the historic achievement, Mandhana said that she never imagined accomplishing the feat, and expressed happiness at having two Indian players at the top positions.

"Yeah, I mean, till I was batting, I didn't know what record it was because I didn't know the exact runs or all of that. But yeah, looking back, one of a very good day for Indian cricket, I would say. Of course, Mithali-di has been such a legend and a role model, and we've all grown up watching her bat," she said.

"So, to go past her in the tally of runs, I definitely never imagined to do that. But happy that there are two Indians at the top two," added Mandhana.

Currently, the Mumbai-born cricketer has 10,880 runs to her name in women's international cricket. Mithali has slipped to second position with 10,868 runs, followed by New Zealand's Suzie Bates with 10,740, England's Charlotte Edwards with 10,273 and West Indies' Stafanie Taylor with 10,007 runs to her name.

In the ongoing Women's T20 Asia Cup, Team India is placed in the first position on the points table of Group A with a net run rate (NRR) of +5.775.

Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026: List of records that Smriti Mandhana achieved

Mandhana became the leading century-maker in women's international cricket, moving to 18 centuries and surpassing former Australia captain Meg Lanning's tally of 17 tons.

She also became the first Indian woman to score two T20I centuries, going past skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Mandhana's record-breaking knock also saw her register the highest individual score in Women's T20 Asia Cup history, with her 124 against Hong Kong surpassing Chamari Athapaththu's unbeaten 119 against Malaysia in Dambulla in 2024.

(With PTI Inputs)

India all-rounder Deepti Sharma has acknowledged her team’s strong record against Pakistan ahead of their ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 clash later today. The Indians have won 14 of their 17 T20I meetings against Pakistan, and Deepti believes that record gives her side an edge.

India have already secured a place in the semifinals with a game to spare. They will now look to finish the league stage unbeaten, while Pakistan will be hoping to strengthen their chances of reaching the last four.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Deepti said India’s record against Pakistan was a sign of their consistency, but she did not want her team to take anything for granted.

“Look, there is no advantage as such. The only thing is that whatever we have won against them (Pakistan), whether it is the Asia Cup or any other matches, we are always one step ahead of them. And that’s it,” Deepti said.

The 29-year-old also pointed to the balance in India’s squad. She said the team’s batting and bowling units have both contributed well in the tournament and that players need to step up when their opportunity comes.

“The whole team is performing well. If you look at the bowling unit or the batting unit, I think both things are balanced. The one who has a good day, she tries to do better and take the game further. And those around her, they try to stay positive things so that they step in more in their game,” she said.

Deepti has also been among India’s key performers with the ball, taking six wickets in the tournament’s opening two matches. Her form will be important as India prepare for another high-profile game against Pakistan.

Also Read: India vs Pakistan, ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 Preview: When and where to watch?

Despite India’s advantage on paper, Deepti said the team would not be distracted by Pakistan’s bowling attack. Instead, the focus would remain on playing to their own strengths and maintaining the same approach that has worked so far.

“Look, our team is also good and their bowlers are also good. We know that. But we focus more on the strengths we have. And as I said, we want to play a good brand of cricket. That’s what we are focusing on,” she said.

“We just want to play good cricket. As a bowling unit, as a batting unit, the team should be as compact as we are playing in two games. That’s the mindset,” Deepti added.

The India vs Pakistan match will start from 8:00PM (IST) onwards at the Dubai International Stadium.