Women's T20I Asia Cup 2024 to take place in Dambulla with eight teams to feature for first time

Dubai [UAE], March 26 (ANI): The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced on Tuesday that the upcoming Women's T20I Asia Cup 2024 will take place in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, from July 19 to 28.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, eight teams will feature in the upcoming edition, which is one more than the previous competition.
The ACC released an official statement to announce Dambulla as the venue for the tournament, which read, "The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is pleased to announce the upcoming Women's T20I Asia Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in Dambulla, Sri Lanka, from July 19th to July 28th, 2024. This edition of the tournament will feature eight teams, one more than the previous edition in 2022, indicating the growing interest and participation in women's cricket across Asia."
Defending champions India have been placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Nepal and the UAE. Group B features Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The highly anticipated clash between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will take place on July 21. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals, which are scheduled to take place on July 26. The final will take place on July 28.
"The Women's T20I Asia Cup 2024 underscores the ACC's commitment to promoting women's cricket in the region. We are excited to see the increased participation and competitiveness among the teams, reflecting the growing popularity and importance of women's cricket. This expansion, from six teams in 2018 to seven in 2022, and now eight, is a testament to our commitment to the women's game and the burgeoning talent pool in Asian cricket. We anticipate an exciting tournament that will inspire both players and fans," ACC President Jay Shah said as quoted from a statement by the ACC.
The statement also confirmed that the tournament will continue the tradition of having all women referees and umpires.
Schedule for Women's T20I Asia Cup 2024
India vs UAE, Pakistan vs Nepal on July 19
Malaysia vs Thailand, Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh on July 20
Nepal vs UAE, India vs Pakistan on July 21
Sri Lanka vs Malaysia, Bangladesh vs Thailand on July 22
Pakistan vs UAE, India vs Nepal on July 23
Bangladesh vs Malaysia, Sri Lanka vs Thailand on July 24. (ANI)