Defending champions Sri Lanka edged past Pakistan by four wickets in a thrilling second semi-final to set up a Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 final against unbeaten India on Sunday. Chasing 131, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble after losing two wickets for five runs and then slipping to 33/4, however, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari brought their team back into the game with a crucial 67-run partnership.&nbsp;&nbsp;Samarawickrama scored 36 off 31 balls, while Dilhari made 33 off 33 as the duo helped Sri Lanka move closer to the target.&nbsp;Pakistan captain Fatima Sana kept her team in the contest by removing both set batters in her second spell and finished with excellent figures of 4/36.&nbsp;Earlier, Sana had played a key role with the bat as well. After Pakistan were reduced to 52/4, she scored 47 off 36 balls to help her side post 130/5.&nbsp;Sana played an aggressive knock, striking several boundaries and a six to help Pakistan add 78 runs in the final 10 overs after Sri Lanka’s spinners had kept them under pressure early on.&nbsp;&nbsp;For Sri Lanka, captain Chamari Athapaththu made a huge impact with the ball, taking two wickets in her first two overs. She dismissed Shawaal Zulfiqar and Ayesha Zafar, while Sugandika Kumari removed Muneeba Ali to leave Pakistan struggling.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/beyond-the-scoreboard-former-aussie-batter-david-warner-on-fans-culture-and-life-after-cricket-1789120951406">'Beyond the Scoreboard': Former Aussie batter David Warner on fans, culture, and life after cricket</a>&nbsp;Seventeen-year-old left-arm spinner Chamudi Prabodha then added to Pakistan’s problems by having Sadaf Shamas stumped in the 10th over. Pakistan were reduced to 52/4 at that stage.&nbsp;Sana then took charge of the innings. After not scoring from her first six balls, she began attacking the Sri Lankan bowlers and guided Pakistan to a competitive total.&nbsp;Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a poor start, with Sana dismissing two of their top three batters, including Athapaththu, during her opening spell.&nbsp;Samarawickrama and Dilhari then rebuilt the innings with a 67-run stand, but Sana returned towards the end and dismissed both batters, giving Pakistan renewed hope; however, Sri Lanka’s lower order remained calm under pressure.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-pacer-siraj-says-his-body-doesn-t-handle-long-breaks-well-1789114286876">India pacer Siraj says his body 'doesn't handle long breaks well'</a>&nbsp;Nilakshika Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana took Sri Lanka closer to the target. Nuthyangana then hit a six to leave Sri Lanka needing just five runs from 11 balls.&nbsp;Sri Lanka completed the chase with eight balls remaining. Nilakshika hit Sana for the winning boundary to seal a four-wicket victory.&nbsp;The win sent Sri Lanka into their second straight Women’s T20 Asia Cup final, where they will meet India. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side had beaten Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final.&nbsp;India have remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and had also defeated Sri Lanka in the league stage. However, the defending champions will take plenty of confidence into Sunday’s final after recovering from another difficult position against Pakistan.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

India will face defending champions Sri Lanka in a repeat of the previous edition’s final in the Women’s Asia Cup summit clash in Dubai on Sunday, after Sri Lanka secured a four-wicket win over Pakistan on Friday.

Defending champions Sri Lanka edged past Pakistan by four wickets in a thrilling second semi-final to set up a Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 final against unbeaten India on Sunday. Chasing 131, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble after losing two wickets for five runs and then slipping to 33/4, however, Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari brought their team back into the game with a crucial 67-run partnership. Samarawickrama scored 36 off 31 balls, while Dilhari made 33 off 33 as the duo helped Sri Lanka move closer to the target. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana kept her team in the contest by removing both set batters in her second spell and finished with excellent figures of 4/36. Earlier, Sana had played a key role with the bat as well. After Pakistan were reduced to 52/4, she scored 47 off 36 balls to help her side post 130/5. Sana played an aggressive knock, striking several boundaries and a six to help Pakistan add 78 runs in the final 10 overs after Sri Lanka’s spinners had kept them under pressure early on. For Sri Lanka, captain Chamari Athapaththu made a huge impact with the ball, taking two wickets in her first two overs. She dismissed Shawaal Zulfiqar and Ayesha Zafar, while Sugandika Kumari removed Muneeba Ali to leave Pakistan struggling. Also Read - 'Beyond the Scoreboard': Former Aussie batter David Warner on fans, culture, and life after cricket Seventeen-year-old left-arm spinner Chamudi Prabodha then added to Pakistan’s problems by having Sadaf Shamas stumped in the 10th over. Pakistan were reduced to 52/4 at that stage. Sana then took charge of the innings. After not scoring from her first six balls, she began attacking the Sri Lankan bowlers and guided Pakistan to a competitive total. Sri Lanka’s chase got off to a poor start, with Sana dismissing two of their top three batters, including Athapaththu, during her opening spell. Samarawickrama and Dilhari then rebuilt the innings with a 67-run stand, but Sana returned towards the end and dismissed both batters, giving Pakistan renewed hope; however, Sri Lanka’s lower order remained calm under pressure. Also Read - India pacer Siraj says his body 'doesn't handle long breaks well' Nilakshika Silva and Kaushini Nuthyangana took Sri Lanka closer to the target. Nuthyangana then hit a six to leave Sri Lanka needing just five runs from 11 balls. Sri Lanka completed the chase with eight balls remaining. Nilakshika hit Sana for the winning boundary to seal a four-wicket victory. The win sent Sri Lanka into their second straight Women’s T20 Asia Cup final, where they will meet India. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side had beaten Bangladesh by 40 runs in the first semi-final. India have remained unbeaten throughout the tournament and had also defeated Sri Lanka in the league stage. However, the defending champions will take plenty of confidence into Sunday’s final after recovering from another difficult position against Pakistan. With inputs from agencies

India will face defending champions Sri Lanka in a repeat of the previous edition’s final in the Women’s Asia Cup summit clash in Dubai on Sunday, after Sri Lanka secured a four-wicket win over Pakistan on Friday.

Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Sri Lanka stun Pakistan to seal final against India

The ICC has penalised Pakistan women’s team captain Fatima Sana for her send-off to Indian opener Shafali Verma during their Asia Cup match in Dubai on Saturday (Sep 5). Sana has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee and handed a demerit point for her animated celebration after dismissing Verma in the first over of the run chase. It was Sana’s second offence in 24 months, taking her tally to two demerit points. &nbsp;The offence was a breach of Article 2.5 of the ICC's code of conduct for players and match officials, relating to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage, or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an international match". &nbsp;Chasing a mere 56, Verma took the attack to Pakistan’s new-ball bowler Sana for 10 runs in five balls, before a mistimed shot led to her dismissal, caught and bowled. Upbeat about dismissing the dangerous Verma, Sana pointed towards the dressing room as she celebrated the first wicket. That invited attention from the match officials, and subsequently a fine and demerit point.&nbsp;WATCH Sana's Celebration&nbsp;&nbsp;Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pakistan-selector-misbah-ul-haq-calls-out-soft-corner-for-foreign-coaches-amid-ongoing-crisis-1788754524089">Former Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-haq calls out 'soft corner for foreign coaches' amid ongoing crisis</a> &nbsp;On-field umpires Nimali Perera and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana, and fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan charged Sana for her celebration, and the Pakistan women’s team captain admitted to the infringement in her meeting with match referee Supriya Rani Das. &nbsp;Meanwhile, India won the match by seven wickets and sealed the top spot in Group A. The spin quartet of N Shree Charani (3 for 7), Prema Rawat (3 for 9), Deepti Sharma (2 for 5) and Shafali (1 for 10) triggered Pakistan’s collapse, as they registered their lowest-ever T20I total. At one stage, Pakistan was 27 for no loss and lost all wickets for the next 28 runs. &nbsp;While India had already punched their semifinal ticket even before facing Pakistan, Sana-led women’s team must beat Hong Kong on Monday evening to enter the last four of this edition.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fatima Sana turning up the heat despite the scoreline. 🥵 Watch India vs Pakistan LIVE NOW on Sony Sports Network TV channels &amp; Sony LIV.<a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SonySportsNetwork?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonySportsNetwork</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/SonyLIV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SonyLIV</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/DPWorldWomensAsiaCup2026?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DPWorldWomensAsiaCup2026</a> <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/NotAGentlemansGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NotAGentlemansGame</a> <a href="https://t.co/j2ohXqlZSV">pic.twitter.com/j2ohXqlZSV</a>&mdash; Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) <a href="https://x.com/SonySportsNetwk/status/2096277639266992409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pakistan-selector-misbah-ul-haq-calls-out-soft-corner-for-foreign-coaches-amid-ongoing-crisis-1788754524089">Former Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-Haq calls out 'soft corner for foreign coaches' amid ongoing crisis</a> &nbsp;On-field umpires Nimali Perera and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana, and fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan charged Sana for her celebration, and the Pakistan women’s team captain admitted to the infringement in her meeting with match referee Supriya Rani Das. &nbsp;Meanwhile, India won the match by seven wickets and sealed the top spot in Group A. The spin quartet of N Shree Charani (3 for 7), Prema Rawat (3 for 9), Deepti Sharma (2 for 5) and Shafali (1 for 10) triggered Pakistan’s collapse, as they registered their lowest-ever T20I total. At one stage, Pakistan was 27 for no loss and lost all wickets for the next 28 runs. &nbsp;While India had already punched their semifinal ticket even before facing Pakistan, Sana-led women’s team must beat Hong Kong on Monday evening to enter the last four of this edition.

Pakistan women's captain Fatima Sana has been fined 10% of her match fee by the ICC for a send-off to India's Shafali Verma during the Women's Asia Cup.

The ICC has penalised Pakistan women’s team captain Fatima Sana for her send-off to Indian opener Shafali Verma during their Asia Cup match in Dubai on Saturday (Sep 5). Sana has been fined 10 per cent of her match fee and handed a demerit point for her animated celebration after dismissing Verma in the first over of the run chase. It was Sana’s second offence in 24 months, taking her tally to two demerit points. The offence was a breach of Article 2.5 of the ICC's code of conduct for players and match officials, relating to "using language, actions or gestures which disparage, or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an international match". Chasing a mere 56, Verma took the attack to Pakistan’s new-ball bowler Sana for 10 runs in five balls, before a mistimed shot led to her dismissal, caught and bowled. Upbeat about dismissing the dangerous Verma, Sana pointed towards the dressing room as she celebrated the first wicket. That invited attention from the match officials, and subsequently a fine and demerit point. WATCH Sana's Celebration Also read| Former Pakistan selector Misbah-ul-haq calls out 'soft corner for foreign coaches' amid ongoing crisis On-field umpires Nimali Perera and Shathira Jakir Jesy, third umpire Rokeya Sultana, and fourth umpire Rabab Ahsan charged Sana for her celebration, and the Pakistan women’s team captain admitted to the infringement in her meeting with match referee Supriya Rani Das. Meanwhile, India won the match by seven wickets and sealed the top spot in Group A. The spin quartet of N Shree Charani (3 for 7), Prema Rawat (3 for 9), Deepti Sharma (2 for 5) and Shafali (1 for 10) triggered Pakistan’s collapse, as they registered their lowest-ever T20I total. At one stage, Pakistan was 27 for no loss and lost all wickets for the next 28 runs. While India had already punched their semifinal ticket even before facing Pakistan, Sana-led women’s team must beat Hong Kong on Monday evening to enter the last four of this edition.

Pakistan women's captain Fatima Sana has been fined 10% of her match fee by the ICC for a send-off to India's Shafali Verma during the Women's Asia Cup.

Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana penalised for Shafali Verma send-off

Pakistan Women are going the extra mile for the upcoming Asia Cup T20 which starts August 28 in Dubai, UAE. Pakistan last played in the final of the event more than a decade ago in 2016 when they lost to arch-rivals India by 17 runs. For the upcoming tournament, Pak Women, led by Fatima Sana, have been preparing against a men's team comprising teenage boys and older players of the Abdul Qadir Academy to sharpen their skills. The matches, played in a 20-over format, were staged at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Lahore during the pre-tournament camp.<h2>Why Pakistan Women are playing against men to prepare for Asia Cup T20 2026?</h2>The idea behind playing against men was to help players improve their decision-making in crunch moments against tougher opponents, something which has been lacking and attracted criticism for them. The most recent case was the T20 World Cup where Pakistan managed to win only one match - against the Netherlands - out of the five they played.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-sl-icc-penalises-jaiswal-asitha-fernando-after-colombo-test-altercation-1787568750698">IND vs SL: ICC penalises Jaiswal, Asitha Fernando after Colombo Test altercation</a>"We have played competitive matches against boys in which we were put under pressure. These learnings will help us adapt to the challenges of the competition," Pak skipper Fatima Sana said as reported by Cricinfo."We needed to understand how to handle the pressure better, and that is something which is highlighted whenever there is a big tournament," she added. "These matches have helped us on that front, and the difference will be visible… It is very important to stay calm in pressure situations rather than pressing the panic button. We have told the girls to stay calm in the crunch moments, and stay in control by trusting their hard work and executing the plans."<h2>Women's Asia Cup T20 2026 group and schedule</h2>The tournament is being played between 8 teams, which have been divided into two groups of four each. Pakistan are in Group A along with India, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The other group teams are - Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and hosts United Arab Emirates.Pakistan starts their campaign against Thailand in September, before taking on India on September 5, and finishing against Hong Kong on September 7.

Pakistan Women, led by Fatima Sana, are prepping for the 2026 Asia Cup T20 by playing against men's teams at Lahore's NCA to build composure, sharpen decision-making, and handle crunch-moment pressure.

Pakistan Women are going the extra mile for the upcoming Asia Cup T20 which starts August 28 in Dubai, UAE. Pakistan last played in the final of the event more than a decade ago in 2016 when they lost to arch-rivals India by 17 runs. For the upcoming tournament, Pak Women, led by Fatima Sana, have been preparing against a men's team comprising teenage boys and older players of the Abdul Qadir Academy to sharpen their skills. The matches, played in a 20-over format, were staged at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Lahore during the pre-tournament camp. Why Pakistan Women are playing against men to prepare for Asia Cup T20 2026? The idea behind playing against men was to help players improve their decision-making in crunch moments against tougher opponents, something which has been lacking and attracted criticism for them. The most recent case was the T20 World Cup where Pakistan managed to win only one match - against the Netherlands - out of the five they played. Also Read - IND vs SL: ICC penalises Jaiswal, Asitha Fernando after Colombo Test altercation "We have played competitive matches against boys in which we were put under pressure. These learnings will help us adapt to the challenges of the competition," Pak skipper Fatima Sana said as reported by Cricinfo. "We needed to understand how to handle the pressure better, and that is something which is highlighted whenever there is a big tournament," she added. "These matches have helped us on that front, and the difference will be visible… It is very important to stay calm in pressure situations rather than pressing the panic button. We have told the girls to stay calm in the crunch moments, and stay in control by trusting their hard work and executing the plans." Women's Asia Cup T20 2026 group and schedule The tournament is being played between 8 teams, which have been divided into two groups of four each. Pakistan are in Group A along with India, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The other group teams are - Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and hosts United Arab Emirates. Pakistan starts their campaign against Thailand in September, before taking on India on September 5, and finishing against Hong Kong on September 7.

Pakistan Women, led by Fatima Sana, are prepping for the 2026 Asia Cup T20 by playing against men's teams at Lahore's NCA to build composure, sharpen decision-making, and handle crunch-moment pressure.

Pakistan women playing against men to prepare for Asia Cup T20 2026

Senior India batter Jemimah Rodrigues and Pakistan all-rounder Fatima Sana shared a warm hug after their teams faced each other in The Hundred. A video of the moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans having mixed reactions given the tense political relations between India and Pakistan. Since the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, friendly interactions between Indian and Pakistani cricketers have largely been avoided, particularly by Indian players. While athletes from some other sports have resumed handshakes and friendly exchanges, cricket has remained more cautious. Rodrigues and Fatima’s gesture therefore attracted considerable attention.&nbsp;There were also concerns that India-Pakistan tensions could affect The Hundred. After Indian owners invested in the competition, reports suggested that Pakistani players could face treatment similar to an unofficial IPL ban. However, Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the Sun Group, eventually signed Pakistan spinner Abar Ahmed, easing some of those concerns.&nbsp;<h2>Watch the video</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Everyone debating if Fatima Sana and jemimah Rodrigues would shake hands and they straight up HUGGED?!😭😭🙏 Keep politics out of sports FOREVER. <a href="https://t.co/XCE2lswGlg">pic.twitter.com/XCE2lswGlg</a>&mdash; A. (@anhnjo) <a href="https://x.com/anhnjo/status/2082896725338214726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

On the field, Rodrigues played an important unbeaten knock of 28 from 18 balls for Southern Brave. Fatima had an expensive spell with the ball for Birmingham Phoenix, giving away 33 runs from 15 deliveries, but remained unbeaten on five as Phoenix lost by 24 runs at the Rose Bowl.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/taipei-open-2026-unnati-hooda-s-campaign-ends-in-semis-tanvi-sharma-reaches-final-1785569338497">Taipei Open: Unnati Hooda’s campaign ends in semis, Tanvi Sharma reaches final</a>&nbsp;The win kept Southern Brave’s perfect start to the season intact, with four victories from four matches. Birmingham Phoenix, meanwhile, continued to struggle at the bottom of the table without a win.&nbsp;Brave were sent in to bat and finished on 140/3. Lizelle Lee scored 43 from 28 balls, while Maia Bouchier made 45 from 31 as the pair put together a 68-run opening partnership from 48 balls. Rodrigues then added an unbeaten 28 to give the hosts a strong finish, while Laura Wolvaardt scored 11.&nbsp;For Phoenix, Alice Capsey, Lauren Filer and Alana King took one wicket each.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/remarkable-consistency-composure-pm-modi-congratulates-neeraj-chopra-on-cwg-2026-silver-1785562106660">'Remarkable consistency': PM Modi congratulates Neeraj Chopra on CWG 2026 silver</a>&nbsp;Phoenix began their chase strongly, with Davina Perrin and Tammy Beaumont putting together a 73-run opening stand. Perrin top-scored with 52 off 43 balls, while Beaumont made 22. However, Phoenix lost momentum after the pair were dismissed.&nbsp;Lauren Bell removed Capsey before Sarah Glenn dismissed Perrin shortly after she reached her half-century. Sophie Molineux then took two late wickets to finish with 2/24, while Bell ended with figures of 1/16.&nbsp;Phoenix eventually finished on 116/5, falling 24 runs short. Ellyse Perry remained unbeaten on 16, while Fatima Sana ended the innings on five not out.&nbsp;

A warm exchange between Jemimah Rodrigues and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana after Southern Brave's victory in The Hundred 2026 caught attention online, as their hug went viral.

Senior India batter Jemimah Rodrigues and Pakistan all-rounder Fatima Sana shared a warm hug after their teams faced each other in The Hundred. A video of the moment quickly went viral on social media, with fans having mixed reactions given the tense political relations between India and Pakistan. Since the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025, friendly interactions between Indian and Pakistani cricketers have largely been avoided, particularly by Indian players. While athletes from some other sports have resumed handshakes and friendly exchanges, cricket has remained more cautious. Rodrigues and Fatima’s gesture therefore attracted considerable attention. There were also concerns that India-Pakistan tensions could affect The Hundred. After Indian owners invested in the competition, reports suggested that Pakistani players could face treatment similar to an unofficial IPL ban. However, Sunrisers Leeds, owned by the Sun Group, eventually signed Pakistan spinner Abar Ahmed, easing some of those concerns. Watch the video

A warm exchange between Jemimah Rodrigues and Pakistan captain Fatima Sana after Southern Brave's victory in The Hundred 2026 caught attention online, as their hug went viral.

Jemimah Rodrigues' hug with Pakistan's Fatima Sana in The Hundred goes viral - WATCH

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Women’s Asia Cup 2026: Sri Lanka stun Pakistan to seal final against India

Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana penalised for Shafali Verma send-off

Pakistan women playing against men to prepare for Asia Cup T20 2026

Jemimah Rodrigues' hug with Pakistan's Sana in The Hundred goes viral - WATCH