Daijiworld Media Network - Nisshin

Nisshin, Sep 18: The Indian women's cricket team is set to face Bangladesh in the second semifinal of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 at the Korogi Sports Park on Sunday, aiming to defend the gold medal they claimed at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the Women in Blue secured their spot in the final four following a lopsided quarterfinal victory over hosts Japan. This marks India's second consecutive semifinal appearance in as many tournament outings. Fresh off securing their eighth Asia Cup title, India enters the match as strong favorites. The semifinal lineup mirrors the previous edition of the Asiad, where India will once again face Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka takes on Pakistan in the other clash. Bangladesh previously fell to India in the semifinal of the recent Asia Cup held in Dubai.

India's squad boasts strong form across all departments. Openers Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana continue to anchor the batting lineup, though the middle order remains relatively untested due to the top order's heavy lifting. On the bowling front, world No. 1 T20I bowler Sree Charani has been in stellar form, coming off consecutive four-wicket hauls, including one against Japan. Deepti Sharma remains a reliable all-round asset, fast bowler Nandani Sharma has delivered impressive spells, and leg-spinner Shreyanka Patil has bolstered the attack following her return from an injury layoff.

Conversely, Bangladesh enters the fixture without recent match practice in Nisshin, as their quarterfinal match against China was washed out, allowing them to advance on superior rankings. Led by captain Nigar Sultana—who is reportedly set to step down from T20I leadership—Bangladesh will be chasing a major upset. However, history heavily favors India, with Bangladesh securing only three wins across 25 prior meetings. While the Bangladeshi bowling attack has shown capability, their batting lineup has consistently struggled to post competitive totals against top-tier opponents.