The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has officially announced the schedule for the second edition of the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from February 13 to 22, 2026. The tournament features a mix of full-member ‘A’ teams and leading associate sides, with India A and Pakistan A set to meet in a much-anticipated group stage clash on February 15.
𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 ~ 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 🌟
The #DPWorldWomensAsiaCupRisingStars2026 is set to bring bold performances, big moments and the future of Asian cricket to the forefront. pic.twitter.com/Vt4FgRy14A
— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) January 19, 2026
The announcement, made by the ACC on Monday, confirmed that the T20-format competition will serve as a platform for emerging women’s cricket talent across Asia. Group A includes India A, Pakistan A, UAE, and Nepal, while Group B features Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Malaysia, and Thailand.
India A will begin their campaign against UAE on February 13, before facing Pakistan A in a marquee match on February 15. Their final group match will be against Nepal on February 17. Defending champions India A won the inaugural edition held in Hong Kong, where they defeated Bangladesh A in the final.
Tournament returns after postponement in 2023
The 2026 edition was initially scheduled to be held in June 2023 in Sri Lanka. However, the event was postponed following a request from Sri Lanka Cricket, citing ongoing public health risks due to a chikungunya outbreak and persistent adverse weather conditions at the time.
With the tournament now set for Bangkok, anticipation is high, especially for the India-Pakistan showdown, which coincides with the men’s T20 World Cup clash between the two nations on the same day in Colombo.
Eight teams compete for continental honours
The Rising Stars initiative brings together four full-member ‘A’ teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh — all with ODI status — alongside four top associate nations: UAE, Nepal, Malaysia, and Thailand. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals on February 20, followed by the final on February 22.
This tournament continues the ACC’s efforts to deepen the competitive experience of the region’s rising female talent. With the emergence of strong performances in recent editions of both senior and junior-level tournaments, the Rising Stars format is seen as a vital bridge for future international contenders.
Full schedule – Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026
Group A: India A, Pakistan A, UAE, Nepal
Group B: Sri Lanka A, Bangladesh A, Malaysia, Thailand
February 13
Pakistan A vs Nepal – 9:30 AM
India A vs UAE – 2:00 PM
February 14
Malaysia vs Thailand – 9:30 AM
Bangladesh A vs Sri Lanka A – 2:00 PM
February 15
UAE vs Nepal – 9:30 AM
India A vs Pakistan A – 2:00 PM
February 16
Sri Lanka A vs Malaysia – 9:30 AM
Bangladesh A vs Thailand – 2:00 PM
February 17
India A vs Nepal – 9:30 AM
Pakistan A vs UAE – 2:00 PM
February 18
Bangladesh A vs Malaysia – 9:30 AM
Sri Lanka A vs Thailand – 2:00 PM
February 20 – Semi-finals
Semi-final 1: A1 vs B2 – 9:30 AM
Semi-final 2: B1 vs A2 – 2:00 PM
February 22 – Final
Winner Semi-final 1 vs Winner Semi-final 2 – 2:00 PM
- ALL MATCH TIMES ARE IN LOCAL TIME
