Women’s Asia Cup: Thailand elect to bowl against India, Pratika Rawal handed debut

Dubai, Aug 30 (IANS) Thailand have won the toss and elected to field first against India in their 2026 Women’s Asia Cup Group A fixture at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, with top-order batter Pratika Rawal handed her T20I debut by the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side.

India, the seven-time winners, are opening their campaign against Thailand, who are coming after beating Hong Kong China in a nervy finish. The two sides have met three times in T20Is, with India winning all games by big margins.

Pratika, already capped in ODIs and Tests, came into India’s squad for the continental event as Jemimah Rodrigues’ replacement for the Asia Cup, following the latter’s hamstring injury.

“We also thought of bowling first, but batting first is also not a problem. It is our first match in Dubai. Rather than keeping a lot of things in mind, it’s about going out there and giving our best.

“Today Pratika is making her debut because Jemi is not there. Playing good cricket is what we want to do. We have spoken about being ruthless and this is an important tournament for us,” said India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Thailand will be led by Thipatcha Putthawong, as regular skipper Nannapat Koncharoenkai is injured. “We are going to bowl first. Nothing more than 170 (to keep India to). Yes, we are excited (to play against India).”

The match also marks off-spin bowling all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s 150th T20I game, making her only the third Indian cricketer after Harmanpreet (202) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (171) to achieve the milestone. Globally, Deepti becomes the 12th player in women’s cricket history to feature in 150 T20Is.

Playing XIs:

India: Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud and Nandni Sharma

Thailand: Natthakan Chantham, Nannapat Koncharoenkai (wk), Chanida Sutthiruang, Suleeporn Laomi, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Thipatcha Putthawong (captain), Phannita Maya, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Nannaphat Chaihan, and Naomi Hamilton

–IANS

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