DAMBULLA (Sri Lanka): Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced that there will be free entry for the fans at the upcoming Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 which will begin on July 19.
Harmanpreet Kaur-led Team India will take on their arch rivals Pakistan on the opening day of the tournament at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium
The SLC released a statement on Friday and confirmed that Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Nepal, Malaysia, and Thailand will compete in this tournament.
It added that India, Pakistan, UAE, and Nepal will compete in Group ‘A’ and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand will compete in Group “B. The statement further added that a total of 15 games will be taking part in the tournament.
“The much-awaited eight-nation Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 will commence on July 19, 2024, at the RDICS, Dambulla. Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UAE, Nepal, Malaysia, and Thailand will compete in this tournament, which is one of the most important contests in women’s cricket in the Asian region. India, Pakistan, UAE, and Nepal will compete in Group ‘A’, and Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand will compete in Group “B. The tournament will see a total of 15 games, including the two semi-finals and the finals”, SLC stated.
The inaugural match of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 will be played between UAE and Nepal. The hosts will begin their voyage on July 20 against Bangladesh. “On the opening day UAE will take on Nepal at 2 pm, and then India take on Pakistan at 7 pm. Sri Lanka’s first game of the tournament will be on July 20th, against Bangladesh at 7 pm”, it added.
The statement further added that Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket Ravin Wickramaratne has been appointed as the Tournament Director of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024. “The Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket and the Asian Cricket Council jointly appointed Ravin Wickramaratne, Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket, as the Tournament Director of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024”, it further added.
Wickramaratne said that a successful outcome of the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024 will advance women’s cricket on the world stage. “Sri Lanka Cricket, with the support of the Asian Cricket Council, is planning to conduct a highly successful tournament, as a successful outcome of this tournament will help advance women’s cricket on the world stage”, Wickramaratne was quoted in a statement from Sri Lanka Cricket as saying.
Earlier on Saturday, the Women’s Selection Committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Team India squad for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup T20, which is set to take place in Dambulla, Sri Lanka from July 19. Harmanpreet Kaur will once again lead Team India in the tournament, with star opener Smriti Mandhana playing the role of her deputy.
India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil and Sajana Sajeevan.
Travelling reserves: Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwer and Meghna Singh. (ANI)