New Delhi, Aug 27: Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women's cricket team is preparing for a challenging month as her team eyes two back-to-back continental
glories in September.
With the two competitions scheduled in quick succession, the Women in Blue will be looking at the upcoming ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 and the Asian Games 2026 as two major opportunities to build on their recent success, and complete a rare double. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side failed to lift the Asia Cup in 2024 but they are the defending Asian Games champions, at the Games held in 2023 in Hangzhou (China).
The ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 will conclude on September 13, while India's Asian Games campaign will begin just four days later, with the women's cricket tournament in Aichi-Nagoya scheduled from September 17 to 22. All cricket matches at the Asian Games will be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
Speaking on Sony Sports Network's Extraaa Innings, Harmanpreet said the Asia Cup remains a hugely important tournament for a team that has established itself as a dominant force in Asian women's cricket.
"Asia Cup is a very important tournament for us. Our team has been dominating from a long time and we've won multiple titles in Asia Cup. "
The India captain, however, acknowledged that the expectations accompanying that success bring their own pressure.
"When you play back-to-back good cricket, your fans and audiences expect even more," Harmanpreet said, while stressing the importance of enjoying the game and focusing on the team's processes rather than the pressure of results.
Harmanpreet: India cannot afford to take any team lightly
The 37-year-old middle-order batter - who has played 200 T20I - believes India's status as one of the favourites will make the Asia Cup particularly challenging.
"The biggest challenge is when you have the 'good team' tag. Playing for those expectations is in itself a very big challenge," she said.
Harmanpreet also warned against complacency, insisting that India must respect every opponent in the continental competition.
The tournament will also feature the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash, a fixture Harmanpreet described as carrying a level of pressure unlike any other.
"Only focus on cricket, focus on our aims, focus on our routines," she said, explaining her approach to dealing with the enormous expectations surrounding the rivalry.
From Asia Cup to Asian Games gold-medal challenge
The short turnaround between the Asia Cup and Asian Games will make the period particularly demanding for India. The women's Asian Games cricket tournament begins on September 17 and runs through September 22.
For Harmanpreet, though, the Asian Games carry a different emotional significance. Having won gold at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, India will enter the 2026 edition as defending champions.
"As a cricketer I think this is a very big opportunity because before this we have mostly played ICC tournaments but have not fought for a medal," she said.
Harmanpreet believes the prospect of winning a medal provides an additional source of motivation, while also offering the players an opportunity to interact with athletes from other sports.
With the Asia Cup ending on September 13 and the Asian Games beginning four days later, coach Amol Muzumdar's side face a demanding stretch. Harmanpreet, however, sees it as an opportunity to carry the team's winning culture from one major assignment into another.
"We are coming after the win at Lord's and have also won many games on the trot so the team has already tasted success and will be hungry for more," she said.
The road, however, wouldn't be easy for the Women in Blue because Sri Lankan eves have emerged as pretty balanced T20 side and a competitive challengers. India defeated Sri Lanka in the Asian Games final to clinch gold, whereas in the Sri Lankans had prevailed over the Indians in 2024 to lift their maiden the Asia Cup trophy.
