The upcoming Asian Games are set to be held in Japan; specifically, they will take place in Aichi Prefecture and the city of Nagoya from September 19 to October 4, 2026.
The BCCI announced the Indian women's team for the Asian Games on June 30; experienced all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur is the captain, and Smriti Mandhana is the vice-captain.
Several changes have been made to the team; for instance, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been left out, and young player G. Kamalini has been added as a backup. Additionally, the BCCI has introduced some new faces to the squad, with Bharti Fulmali and Kranti Gaud receiving call-ups.
However, there is a concern regarding the team: off-spinner Shreyanka Patil has been included in the squad, but her participation is currently uncertain due to an injury; whether she plays or not depends on a fitness test.
Greater reliance has been placed on experienced players; the squad includes the likes of Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma. All these players possess significant T20 experience and will contribute as versatile all-rounders.
Renuka Singh Thakur has been included in the team as a fast bowler; alongside Arundhati Reddy and Nandani Sharma, she will strengthen the team's fast-bowling attack.
As for the spin department, Shreyanka Patel has been included in the team, alongside Radha and the young player Sri Charani.
There will be greater pressure on Team India this time because they won the gold medal at the previous Asian Games, defeating Sri Lanka in the final; the goal now is to maintain that standard and win the gold medal again at the 2026 Asian Games.
A total of eight teams are participating in this edition of the games, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, and China.
In the 2010 and 2014 Games, Pakistan won the gold medal in cricket while Bangladesh took the silver; meanwhile, in 2023, India won the gold medal and Sri Lanka secured the silver.
The matches of such games will be in T20 format, and all the matches will be held at Korogi Athletic Park.
Matches will be played from September 17 to September 22, 2026.
A total of eight teams are participating in these matches, and it will be a knockout tournament starting directly from the quarter-finals.
The match for gold in this event will take place on September 22.
In India, this match can be watched live at 5:30 AM and 10:30 AM; it will be broadcast live on Sony Pictures Networks India and can also be viewed on their app and website.
Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper), G. Kamalini (Wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Sri Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, and Nandani Sharma.
