By Marlon Dale Ferreira
The highly anticipated Asia Cup T20 women’s cricket tournament begins today (July 19) at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium in Sri Lanka. This year’s edition, which runs through July 28, brings together eight teams from across Asia for a series of exciting T20 matches.
Today’s opening day features two key matches: Nepal will face off against the United Arab Emirates in Group A, while India will go up against Pakistan in Group B. Fans will be able to watch all the matches for free, thanks to an initiative by the Sri Lanka Cricket Association aimed at making the tournament accessible to everyone.
The Asia Cup women’s cricket tournament was inaugurated in 2004 as a one-day competition and switched to the T20 format in 2012 to align with the growing popularity of T20 cricket. This year’s tournament has been organized into two groups:
- Group A: India, Pakistan, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates
- Group B: Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand
The Sri Lankan women’s team, competing in Group B, will play their first preliminary match tomorrow (July 20) against Bangladesh. This game marks the beginning of Sri Lanka’s journey in the tournament and is expected to draw significant local and international interest.
The tournament will feature a round-robin format in the group stage, leading to the knockout rounds. With the participation of top teams from the region, the event is set to deliver high-quality cricket and intense competition. The tournament will not only highlight the talent in women’s cricket but also foster greater regional sportsmanship and camaraderie.
