Expanded Women's Asia Cup to be played in Dambulla from July 19

The 2024 women's Asia Cup will be played in Dambulla from July 19 to 28, in the T20 format. It will be an eight-team affair, featuring one extra team than the previous edition, with hosts Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, the big teams, joined by UAE, Nepal, Thailand and Malaysia, the semi-finalists of the Women's Premier Cup 2024.

Unlike last time, when all teams played each other once before the semi-finals, this year they will be split into two groups. India join Pakistan, UAE and Nepal in Group A, while Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia slot into Group B. The India vs Pakistan game is scheduled for July 21.

The top-two teams from each group will then feature in the semi-finals on July 26, before the title clash on July 28.

Asian Cricket Council (ACC) president, Jay Shah, said of the tournament's expansion: "We are excited to see the increased participation and competitiveness among the teams, reflecting the growing popularity and importance of women's cricket. This expansion, from six teams in 2018 to seven in 2022, and now eight, is a testament to our commitment to the women's game and the burgeoning talent pool in Asian cricket."

An ACC statement also confirmed that, like the previous edition, held in Sylhet, this tournament will feature only female umpires.

The Asia Cup will serve as a dry run for teams leading into the T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be played in Bangladesh starting in September.

At the Asia Cup, India are defending champions and the most successful team, with seven title wins.

Since 2012, the tournament has been played in the T20 format, usually once in two years, though in 2020 - during the pandemic - the tournament was first postponed and then cancelled.

This year, the later part of the Asia Cup will clash with the start of the Women's Hundred competition in England, which begins on July 23. That could affect the participation of Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave), Chamari Athapaththu (Oval Invincibles) and Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) for their Hundred teams.