India Women eye batting against Hong Kong before the match in Pakistan
India don’t have much to worry about in terms of the result but have a lot to work on with the bat when they take on Hong Kong and China in their second Group A match of the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai on Thursday.
The seven-time champions opened their campaign with a 94-run win over Thailand, but the margin of victory was masked by an uneven batting performance. India were comfortably placed at 101 for two after 10 overs before losing their way and finishing at 159 for nine. Shafali Verma’s 64 off 36 balls provided the impetus, while T20I debutant Pratika Rawal chipped in with 22 off 18. However, the middle and lower order struggled to keep pace.
In the end, India were saved by their bowlers. Deepti Sharma produced a remarkable spell while Nandni Sharma also claimed three wickets as Thailand were bowled out for 65. The performance underlined India’s bowling depth but also highlighted need for more bat consistency ahead of a tougher Group A clash against Pakistan on September 5.
Hong Kong, meanwhile, will be looking to build on a spirited opening performance. They pushed Thailand all the way before going down by six runs, showing that they are capable of making life difficult for established opponents. However, they will face a significantly tougher challenge against India.
TIME TO TEST BENCHES
With India expected to be strong favourites, the match offers Harmanpreet Kaur and the team management an opportunity to look beyond the result.
Renuka Thakur, Arundhati Reddy and Radha Yadav are among the players who could benefit from playing time. India already knows what its established players have to offer; the greater value now might lie in testing those who may need to step in later in the tournament.
Renuka and Arundhati would give India a chance to evaluate their pace-bowling combinations, while Radha could be useful on the Dubai surface, where spin has already made an impact.
The question is whether India should make sweeping changes or simply replace a few players. With Pakistan waiting just two days later, this is perhaps the perfect opportunity to take a close look at the bench without jeopardizing the team’s campaign.
SHOULD KAMALINI REPLACE PRATIKA?
Pratika Rawal was impressive in the match against Thailand. Courtesy: BCCI Women
Kamalini is another player who could be in contention, but her inclusion would present India with an interesting selection dilemma.
The wicket-keeper batsman is another specialist option alongside Richa Ghosh and giving her a game would allow India to test their back-up strength. However, leaving Rawal out after her encouraging debut against Thailand could be harsh.
After an injury to Jemimah Rodrigues, he was called up to the team, Rawal looked composed on debut before being dismissed by Suleeporn Laomi. She has shown enough to suggest she deserves another chance, especially with the clash with Pakistan looming.
This makes the call less straightforward. If the priority is to give Kamalini a game, she could come on. But if India want to build some continuity in their batting line-up, it may make more sense to retain Rawal.
So the Hong Kong game could be less about finding the perfect XI and more about giving India a clearer idea of the depth they can use later in the tournament.
WHO WILL REPLACE NATASHA MILES?
Hong Kong must make their own selection process, with Natasha Miles potentially returning to the XI. Maryam Bibi led the team in the tournament opener against Thailand, with Miles absent.
Miles, who was named tournament captain, is one of Hong Kong’s most experienced players. She has 2,041 T20I runs, making her the second highest run-scorer in the team’s international history behind Mariko Hill.
If Miles returns, Joyleen Kaur could step back. Kaur was unable to make a major impact in the opening game and Miles’ presence would give Hong Kong more experience in a batting line-up facing a much stronger Indian attack.
Her knowledge of cricket at a higher level could also be valuable in helping Hong Kong handle the pressure facing the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur.
Miles has previously stressed the importance of her team focusing on their own game rather than being overwhelmed by the reputations of their opponents. Against India, this approach will be tested to the limit.
LAMPLOUGH, KARY AMONG HONG KONG’S THREATS
Marina Lamplough can be a threat for India. Courtesy: ACC
India may start as overwhelming favourites, but Hong Kong have players capable of causing problems if given the opportunity.
Marina Lamplough was an outstanding player against Thailand and impressed with both bat and ball. Her ability to change the momentum quickly makes her one of the players India will need to keep a check on.
Kary Chan is another player who can impact the game in both departments, while Daswani brings patience and experience to the batting line-up.
Mariko Hill is also a key figure in Hong Kong. The experienced opener is their leading T20I run-scorer and will be keen to contribute more after a quiet start to the tournament.
For India, however, the match remains as much about them as their opponents. The batting collapse against Thailand revealed an area that needs attention, particularly Pakistan, who are next on the agenda.
The pitchers have already shown that they can save the team. Against Hong Kong, India would ideally like the batters to make sure they don’t have to.
Can the middle order turn promising starts into big scores? Can the fringe players prove they are ready if called upon? And can India give Rawal another chance while finding room for experimentation?
Pakistan will provide a real test. Hong Kong is India’s opportunity to prepare for this.
INDIA WOMEN VS HONG KONG WOMEN: HEAD TO HEAD
India and Hong Kong are yet to meet in a women’s T20I. However, the two sides faced each other in a T20 match in 2012 when Hong Kong did not yet have T20I status. India won the contest by 142 runs after bowling out Hong Kong for just 24. Harmanpreet Kaur was named player of the match after scoring 61 off 38 balls.
INDIA W vs HONG KONG W: PREDICTED XIS
India women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Shree Charani/Radha Yadav, Kranti Gaud/Renuka Singh, Nandni Sharma
Hong Kong women: Mariko Hill, Yasmin Daswani (wk), Maryam Bibi (c), Marina Lamplough, Kary Chan, Shanzeen Shahzad, Joyleen Kaur/Natasha Miles, Shing Chan Dorothea, Alison Siu, Charlotte Chan, Ruchitha Venkatesh
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
03 Sep 2026 10:01 IST