Top News

The 2026 Women’s T20 Asia Cup is likely to be staged in the United Arab Emirates from August 28 to September 13, although the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is yet to make an official announcement, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.

The ACC has reportedly informed the eight participating teams about the provisional dates, allowing them to begin planning their travel and logistical arrangements. However, the tournament schedule and venues are still awaiting formal approval from the ACC leadership.

UAE Set To Host Asia Cup

According to the report, participating teams have been told that they should arrive in the UAE on August 27, with the final provisionally scheduled for September 13.

An email reportedly sent by the ACC to the participating boards on July 22 stated that the venue was still being finalised. Teams have subsequently been waiting for the official schedule before completing their travel arrangements.

The sixth edition of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup will feature India, defending champions Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and hosts UAE.

The tournament’s official confirmation has reportedly been delayed as the ACC awaits final approval from its leadership, headed by Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Mohsin Naqvi.

BCCI Announcement Creates Confusion

The uncertainty surrounding the tournament was highlighted when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squad on August 2 before deleting the post.

India had named a strong squad, with several prominent players retained from their recent setup. Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali and Richa Ghosh were among the players included.

Prema Rawat also retained her place, while Shreyanka Patil was absent as she continues her recovery from an ankle ligament injury that had forced her to leave the T20 World Cup campaign midway.

Asia Cup Finalists Face Tight Turnaround

The proposed dates create a significant scheduling challenge for the two teams that reach the Asia Cup final.

The women’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, is scheduled to begin on September 17 and run until September 24. If the Asia Cup final takes place on September 13 as expected, the finalists would have only four days to travel from the UAE to Japan and prepare for their next continental assignment.

The compressed turnaround could create logistical and player-management challenges, particularly for teams featuring several players in both competitions.

With the ACC yet to officially confirm the venue, schedule and dates, participating boards remain in a holding pattern. However, if the reported timeline is approved, the Women’s Asia Cup will form part of an extremely demanding stretch of international cricket for the leading Asian teams.