India women aim to complete hat-trick of Asia Cup titles

India's women will be aiming to complete a hat-trick of Asia Cup titles when they face Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the triangular tournament to be played in Jaipur, India, from 13 to 21 December.

India won the inaugural tournament in Sri Lanka in 2004 and successfully defended the title the following year in Pakistan. Now India launches its title defence against traditional rivals Pakistan.

This year's tournament will take place at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

It will be a special and historic time for the Pakistan team as it makes its first international appearance overseas since the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) took control of women's cricket in the country.

It is also Pakistan's first overseas tour since the International Women's Cricket Council (WICC) merged with the International Cricket Council (ICC) last year.

India captain Mithali Raj is confident her team will achieve victory and hopes the Jaipur tournament will also provide it with a good opportunity to get ready for next February's quadrangular series also involving world champions Australia, England and New Zealand in Chennai.

"There is no doubt our objective is to complete a hat-trick of titles and make our country proud. Pakistan and Sri Lanka may be relatively new to this level but still we have to produce our best to achieve the goal," she said.

"At the same time this tournament will provide us with a good opportunity to try out a few new girls and also different combinations so we are better prepared for next year's quadrangular series.

"I think women's cricket has really grown ever since the IWCC/ICC merger and both the BCCI and ICC are playing leading roles in creating opportunities for young girls to take up this great sport.

"I am sure, in days to come, we will see more multi-talented girls taking up the sport," added Raj.

Pakistan captain Urooj Mumtaz Khan said her team is young and inexperienced but believes things are heading in the right direction.

"We are new to international cricket but the good news is that we are moving on the right path," she said.

"The girls are improving day-by-day and with a comprehensive women's cricket plan in place, I am sure we will cover the long distance in a relatively short period.

"This event is our build-up to our next month's tour to South Africa for a five-match series and then the 2007's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifying Tournament (WCWQT)," she said.

Pakistan women will face South Africa women in the five-match series in Pretoria between 20 and 27 January.

The ICC WCWQT will be staged in Pakistan late next year where eight qualifiers will vie for two available slots in the 2009 ICC Women's World Cup which is taking place in Australia.

Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Bermuda, Ireland, South Africa and Zimbabwe are already through to that penultimate stage. These teams will be joined by two more from the European regional tournament played in the Netherlands next year.

For the 2009 ICC Women's World Cup, defending champions Australia, India, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies have already earned automatic qualification following their top-six finish in the 2005 Women's Cricket World Cup in Pretoria.

The 2009 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup will be the first to be played under the auspices of the ICC since its merger with the IWCC last year. The IWCC had 15 members but since integration with the ICC the women's game has been growing fast with 42 members now having female teams.

Details of the Asia Cup can be found here: