IND vs PAK, Women's Asia Cup 2026 Toss Report and Playing XIs Live Update: Pakistan Elect To Bat, India Name Unchanged 11
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed that they are fielding an unchanged playing XI following their commanding victory over Hong Kong.
Pakistan Women won the toss and elected to bat first against arch-rivals India Women in their marquee Group A fixture of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur confirmed that they are fielding an unchanged playing XI following their commanding victory over Hong Kong. India vs Pakistan, Live Streaming and Free Telecast of Women's Asia Cup 2026 in India.
Toss and Tactical Approach
Taking the pitch conditions into account, Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana opted to set a target, aiming to make optimal use of the dry surface before the evening dew might come into play. Pakistan enter the encounter requiring a victory to solidify their path to the semi-finals, following an opening win against Thailand where they defended a modest total.
India, already qualified for the semi-finals on the back of dominant group victories against Thailand and Hong Kong, expressed satisfaction with bowling first. Harmanpreet Kaur noted that her side is well-equipped to chase under lights, maintaining faith in the combination that delivered back-to-back dominant performances.
Team Combinations
India’s decision to retain their winning lineup means vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma continue their prolific opening partnership, supported by Pratika Rawal at number three. The bowling department remains spin-heavy to capitalise on the Dubai conditions, led by senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma alongside Kranti Gaud, Prema Rawat, and Shree Charani. Is Pakistan vs India Free Live Telecast of Women's Asia Cup 2026 Match Available on PTV Sports?.
Pakistan made minimal adjustments to bolster their batting depth around wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali and experienced all-rounder Aliya Riaz, while relying on left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal and Diana Baig to deliver early breakthroughs with the ball.
Playing XIs
India Women XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Nandani Sharma, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud
Pakistan Women XI: Muneeba Ali (wk), Shawaal Zulfiqar, Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Sadaf Shamas, Fatima Sana (c), Umm-e-Hani, Eyman Fatima, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal
Match Stakes
India hold a commanding 14–3 head-to-head advantage over Pakistan in women’s T20 Internationals and entered the contest on high confidence after Mandhana’s record-breaking century against Hong Kong. For Pakistan, the fixture serves as a critical test of their top-order batting against an in-form Indian bowling attack.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 05, 2026 07:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).