Bangkok, Feb 17: India A secured a place in the semi-finals of the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026 with a comprehensive seven wicket triumph over Nepal in their final Group A match at the Terdthai Cricket Ground, Thailand.
After being sent to bowl first, India A bowled out Nepal for a paltry 78 in 18 overs, with Tanuja Kanwar producing a stellar four-wicket haul. Indian spinners dominated, with Minnu Mani taking 3/8 and captain Radha Yadav picking two wickets, leaving Nepal struggling throughout their innings. Samjhana Khadka top scored with 22 runs, but the rest of the lineup faltered.
Chasing a modest target, India A overcame early jitters but never looked in danger. Vrinda Dinesh remained unbeaten on 39 off 18 balls, steering the team to victory in just 7.5 overs. The win propelled India A to the top of Group A with four points from three matches and a net run rate of +3.042.
Despite an opening loss to UAE, India A bounced back strongly with consecutive wins over Pakistan A and Nepal to confirm their spot in the semi-finals, where they will next compete on Friday.
The Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, organised by the Asian Cricket Council, is the successor to the 2023 Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, which India had also won, defeating Bangladesh in the final.