India and Pakistan will renew their rivalry in the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 when they meet in their final league-stage fixture at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, September 5.

India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026 takes place on September 5. PTI image

India have already secured their place in the semi-finals and will start as overwhelming favourites against a Pakistan side still fighting for a place in the last four. The contest carries the usual weight of an India-Pakistan fixture, but the form and depth of the two teams make India the clear team to beat.

The match begins at 8pm IST.

India vs Pakistan: Match preview

India have looked the stronger side in the tournament and received a further boost from Smriti Mandhana’s record-breaking century against Hong Kong. The opener’s form, alongside Shafali Verma, gives India a formidable start at the top of the order.

The Dubai pitches have not been the easiest for batting, with batters generally needing time to assess the pace of the surface before attacking. Mandhana and Shafali demonstrated that approach in their previous outing and will again be central to India’s plans.

There are still areas for Harmanpreet Kaur’s side to address. Pratika Rawal, Richa Ghosh and Harmanpreet have all made starts without converting them into substantial scores. Rawal, in particular, will be keen to find consistency in the T20 format after enjoying greater success in ODIs.

India have also strengthened their pace attack with Nandni Sharma, who has impressed since coming into the side and has formed a promising new-ball partnership with Kranti Gaud.

Pakistan’s biggest concern remains their batting. They were under pressure during the powerplay against Thailand after losing three wickets, although they recovered sufficiently to defend a modest 119.

Muneeba Ali and captain Fatima Sana remain important figures for Pakistan, but they will need greater contributions from the rest of the batting order if they are to put India’s bowlers under sustained pressure.

On paper, India have the advantage in almost every department. Pakistan’s best chance will be to make early inroads with the ball and prevent India’s top order from settling. If Mandhana and Shafali get through the opening phase, India will be difficult to contain.

India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Date and venue

The India vs Pakistan match will be played on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at the Dubai International Stadium.

The Women’s Asia Cup began on August 28 and features eight teams divided into two groups. India, Pakistan, Thailand, Hong Kong and China are in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the UAE and Indonesia make up Group B.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.

India vs Pakistan: Match time across the world

Country/Region Match time: India (IST) 8:00pm, Dubai (GST) 6:30pm, UK (GMT) 2:30pm, USA & Canada (EST) 9:30am, Australia (AEDT) 1:30am, September 6, South Africa (SAST) 4:30pm, Japan (JST) 11:30pm.

India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Live telecast and streaming

The supplied source does not specify the broadcaster or streaming platform for the India vs Pakistan match, so those details cannot be confirmed from the available material.

The match is scheduled to start at 8pm IST.

India vs Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026 squads

India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), G Kamalini (wk), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Pratika Rawal.

Pakistan squad: Fatima Sana (c), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), Sadaf Shamas, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar.

India will be looking to build further momentum before the knockout stage, while Pakistan need a statement performance to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

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