India women's cricket team will kick off their Asian Games 2026 campaign on Friday, September 18, at the Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin with a quarter-final clash against hosts Japan.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Women in Blue enter this year's continental competition on the back of Asia Cup success. Having lifted their eighth Asia Cup title after beating Sri Lanka in the final in Dubai, they will look to carry this form into Japan to defend the gold medal, which they won in Hangzhou in 2023.
The cricket action at the Asian Games proper kicks off on Saturday, but the India women's team will have a game a day earlier. The Women in Blue get a chance to build early momentum as their opening fixture offers a valuable opportunity in a competition in which every match matters.
India Begin Gold Medal Defense After Asia Cup Triumph
India's preparations for the Asian Games got a shot in the arm with their convincing wins in the Asia Cup. Harmanpreet's team remained unbeaten in the Asia Cup after finishing as the top seeds in the group stage by defeating Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. They reached the final by overcoming Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the knockouts.
India will hope to carry the same form against their Asian rivals as they prepare to face their arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asian Games qualifier. The team has a balanced mixture of experienced campaigners and young players, and they will be eager to display the same grit and determination that saw them finish as the runners-up in the Asia Cup.
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India's women's cricket team had created history by winning the gold medal in the Asian Games 2023. After their quarter-final match against Malaysia was washed out, they beat Bangladesh to set up a final showdown against Sri Lanka. They then went on to win the Asian Games for the second time after defeating Sri Lanka in the final.
India now has an excellent opportunity to defend their Asian Games title and win consecutive gold medals at the tournament for the first time.
India vs Japan: Quarter-final provides the opportunity to reach the final in Asian Games
India will take on Japan in the first quarter-final of the Asian Games 2026 on September 18. A win against the hosts will see them qualify for the semi-finals on September 20. The semi-final match between India and Bangladesh will also be held at the Kashima Stadium as the match between Bangladesh and China, which decided the top two seeds, was washed out.
India will be relying on their experience to get past Bangladesh and will be looking to avenge their defeat in the Asia Cup final. However, the hosts will be confident of capitalizing on their home advantage to give the defending champions a run for their money.
Harmanpreet and her teammates will need to focus on the task at hand and get past Bangladesh before thinking about the final. They entered the Asian Games as favourites, and the pressure to deliver will be immense on them to live up to the expectations of the fans back home.
Harmanpreet Kaur leads the experienced India side
India's squad features a mix of experience and youth, and they will be confident of overcoming any challenge that comes their way in Musashino. Smriti Mandhana has been named the vice-captain, and Harmanpreet's team has several match-winners in Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, and Deepti Sharma. Richa Ghosh and G. Kamalini are the other two reliable backups in the deep batting line-up.
The spin-bowling duo of Renuka Thakur and Sree Charani will provide India with the much-needed steel in the innings, with Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav adding pace and bounce.
India Women's cricket team for Asian Games 2026: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Nandni Sharma.
India Women – Likely path to Asian Games 2026 gold
Quarter-final: India vs Japan – September 18, 2026 – Nisshin
Semi-final: India vs Bangladesh – September 20, 2026 – Nisshin
Final: India vs Pakistan/Sri Lanka/Malaysia – September 22, 2026 – Nisshin
Where and when to watch the India Women's Cricket team at the Asian Games 2026
Indian fans can watch the women's cricket team at the Asian Games 2026 on Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV, as per the broadcast information provided.
Live Streaming: SonyLIV app and website
Television: Sony Sports Network
India Women vs Japan: Opening match
Date: Friday, September 18, 2026