Dubai: India Women will take on Hong Kong, China Women in their second Group A match of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday, September 3. The match is scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM IST, with India looking to strengthen its position in the group.
India enter the contest after an impressive 94-run victory over Thailand in their opening match. However, despite the comfortable margin, the team has identified areas that need improvement, particularly in the batting department.
India reached 101 for two after 10 overs against Thailand and appeared to be heading toward a much larger total. However, the batting lineup lost momentum dramatically, with seven wickets falling for just 29 runs. India eventually finished at 159 for nine.
Shafali Verma was the standout batter, scoring a powerful 64 from 36 deliveries. Her aggressive approach gave India an excellent start, but the middle order struggled to maintain the scoring rate. Pratika Rawal, who is getting an opportunity following Jemimah Rodrigues’ absence, also made a useful contribution.
India’s bowling attack, meanwhile, provided complete control. Nandni Sharma and Deepti Sharma took three wickets each as Thailand were bowled out for only 65. Deepti’s remarkable spell came on her 150th T20I appearance, further highlighting the depth of India’s bowling unit.
Hong Kong, China will enter the match looking for their first points. They narrowly lost their opening game against Thailand by six runs after making a strong bowling effort. Marina Lamplough was particularly impressive, taking four wickets for only 11 runs before contributing 22 runs with the bat.
For India, a victory would put them in a strong position ahead of their much-anticipated Group A match against Pakistan on September 5.
The Dubai pitch could also play a role. Reports suggest the surface has offered some assistance to bowlers and can become slower as the innings progresses.
India will be favourites, but the team management will be hoping for a more complete batting performance. For Hong Kong, the challenge will be to create pressure early and prevent India’s experienced top order from taking control.
