India vs Thailand: Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma power Harmanpreet Kaur's side to winning start in Women's Asia Cup 2026

Shafali Verma's half-century and two wickets each from Deepti Sharma, Nandni Sharma and Shree Charani helped India start their Women's Asia Cup 2026 campaign with a dominant 94-run win on Sunday. Chasing India's 159/9, Thailand managed just 65 in 16.1overs in Dubai in a Group A tie.

With this win, India lead the table with two points, followed by Thailand at second, who have the same in two games. Pakistan are yet to start their campaign while Hong Kong, China lost their only game to Thailand so far. Coming into the tournament as favourites, India maintained the reputation from the start as Shafali gave the Women in Blue a perfect start at the top.

Asked to bat by Thailand captain Thipatcha Putthawong, India raced to 100 in 10 overs, with Shafali smashing her 19th T20I fifty off just 26 balls. The opener hit eight fours and three sixes in her 36-ball 64 and looked set to propel India to a 200-plus total before the innings unravelled.

Thailand catch India middle-order off-guard

However, Thailand did make a comeback when the Women in Blue lost four wickets for 21 runs as Suleeporn Laomi variations, drift and flight exposed the middle order. The 28-year-old leg-spinner finished with 3/26.

She first got rid of debutant Pratika Rawal before dismissing Shafali and Richa Ghosh in back-to-back deliveries. India were cruising at 100/2 after 10 overs when Laomi struck to remove Pratika, who was cleaned up for 22 off 18 balls by a delivery that darted back in and crashed into her leg stump.

Rawal was drafted into the playing XI in place of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues and failed to convert a promising start. Off-spinner Sunida Chaturongrattana claimed 2/31.

India, who were in complete control at the halfway stage, found themselves at 137/9 before Kranti Gaud provided a late flourish. Gaud smashed an unbeaten 15 off eight balls to take India past the 150-run mark.

Thailand surrender in response

In reply, Thailand were never in the chase as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Baring wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai, who top scored with 41, none of the Thailand batters could manage double digits as they were bundled for just 65 runs in 16.1 overs.

They were three wickets down inside the powerplay with just 35 runs on the board as Deepti (3/0), Nandni (3/18) and Shree Charani (2/10) shared eight wickets between them to humiliate the Thai cricketers. With her three wickets, Deepti Sharma, who was playing her 150th T20I, also became the highest wicket-taker in the Women's T20 internationals.

Deepti now has 171 WT20I wickets, surpassing Thailand's Thipatcha Putthawong (170). The Indian all-rounder also became the third Indian after Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana to play 150 WT20Is for the nation. India next play Hong Kong, China at the same venue on September 3.