India Women have completed an unbeaten Group A campaign at the Women's Asia Cup 2026 and secured their place in the semi-finals after three convincing victories in Dubai. Harmanpreet Kaur's side followed wins over Thailand and Hong Kong, China with a seven-wicket victory against Pakistan on 5 September to remain at the top of the group.
While India's qualification is already secure, the battle around the remaining Group A semi-final place continues. Pakistan are scheduled to face Hong Kong, China on 7 September in their final group fixture, giving Fatima Sana's side an important opportunity to strengthen their qualification position.
India finish Group A unbeaten
India have produced three very different but convincing performances during the group stage. They opened their campaign with a 94-run victory over Thailand before defeating Hong Kong, China by 137 runs.
The third victory came against Pakistan, when India's bowlers dismissed their opponents for 55 before the target was chased in only 8.4 overs for the loss of three wickets.
That result ensured India remained undefeated through their three Group A matches and confirmed their place in the semi-finals.
How India reached the Women's Asia Cup semi-finals
India's route to the knockout stage has highlighted the team's ability to win matches in different ways. Shafali Verma played a major role against Thailand, while Smriti Mandhana produced a record-breaking century against Hong Kong, China.
Mandhana scored 124 from 64 balls as India reached 193 for five against Hong Kong, China. Her innings took her past Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women's international cricket and also moved her to 18 international centuries.
Against Pakistan, India's bowling depth took centre stage. Pakistan were dismissed for their lowest-ever Women's T20I total of 55 before India completed a comfortable seven-wicket victory.
Pakistan remain in the Group A qualification race
Pakistan began their tournament with a 35-run victory over Thailand before suffering their first defeat of the competition against India.
Following the India match, Pakistan had two points from two outings and were second on the Group A table according to the Pakistan Cricket Board's post-match update.
Their final group fixture is against Hong Kong, China on 7 September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The result will be important to the final shape of the Group A qualification picture.
Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China becomes crucial
Pakistan will enter their final group match looking to respond immediately after the heavy defeat against India. Their batting will be one of the main areas of focus after being bowled out for 55.
Muneeba Ali had earlier scored 54 against Thailand and helped Pakistan recover from a difficult start in that match. Pakistan will again look to their experienced batters and captain Fatima Sana as they attempt to finish the group stage strongly.
Hong Kong, China, led by Natasha Miles, are competing in Group A alongside India, Pakistan and Thailand. Their meeting with Pakistan is scheduled for 7 September in Dubai.
Why India's qualification matters
Securing qualification before the completion of the remaining Group A fixture allows India to turn their attention towards the knockout stage.
The team has already demonstrated considerable balance during the tournament. India's top order has produced aggressive innings, while the spin attack has repeatedly controlled opposition batting line-ups.
That combination was particularly evident against Pakistan, where Shree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed three wickets each. Charani was named Player of the Match after returning figures of three for seven.
Shafali Verma reaches 3,000 T20I runs
The victory over Pakistan also produced another milestone for India. Shafali Verma crossed 3,000 runs in T20 international cricket during the opening over of India's chase.
She began the innings by striking the first delivery for six and contributed 12 from six balls as India attacked the small target immediately.
The milestone added another notable achievement to an India campaign that has already included Mandhana rewriting major records in women's international cricket.
Women's Asia Cup 2026 semi-final format
The Women's Asia Cup 2026 features eight teams divided into two groups. India, Pakistan, Hong Kong, China and Thailand make up Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia and hosts United Arab Emirates form Group B.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the semi-finals. The two semi-finals are scheduled for 10 and 11 September, with the tournament final scheduled for 13 September.
All matches in the tournament are being played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
What happens next in Group A
India's group-stage work is complete and the team can now prepare for the semi-finals. Their three-match winning run gives them strong momentum heading into the knockout phase.
Attention in Group A now turns to Pakistan's meeting with Hong Kong, China on 7 September. That match will help determine the final qualification picture alongside the completed results elsewhere in the group.
For India, the immediate challenge is to carry the form and balance shown during the group stage into the higher-pressure knockout matches.
Information checked through 6 September 2026.