Women’s Asia Cup 2024 – Squad for Thailand, UAE, Nepal and Malaysia

Women’s Asia Cup 2024 is around. Thailand, UAE, Nepal and Malaysia have set up their squad. Let's get to know them.

The Women’s Asia Cup 2024 will be thrilling, as eight teams will compete for the trophy in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. These eight teams have qualified in the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2024 – Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, UAE, and Malaysia.

In this blog we are going to talk about the fresh ones like Thailand, UAE, Nepal and Malaysia, what are the key players and the complete squad. Let’s dive deeper!

Thailand – Promising Team

One of the emerging teams in Women’s cricket, Thailand is leaving its mark on the international scale. Thailand defeated Pakistan in the 2022 Asia Cup Women and entered the semi-finals for the first time in history.

Changes in the Team

Harshal Pathak holds the credit for upscaling the team. Harshal has been replaced by Nitish Salekar as the head coach. There is a change in the captaincy as well, 20-year-old Thipatcha Putthawong has been chosen as the new captain and a promising one!

Natthakan Chantham has been suffering from an ACL injury, which happened in the Women’s T20I World Cup Qualifier in May and has gone through surgery.

They made their debut in the T20 World Cup in 2020 but missed the following two editions and will also skip this year's event in Bangladesh. Impressive results at this Asia Cup should boost Thailand's confidence, since several of the young players in this team have been promoted from their Under-19 program, with Thipatcha Putthawong being a perfect example.

Thailand is placed in Group B along with Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka for the 2024 Asia Cup Women.

Key Player - Chanida Sutthiruang

Sutthiruang has progressed from a quick bowler who could bat later down the order to a dependable allrounder in recent years. A knee issue restricted her bowling in 2021, but a fully fit Sutthiruang was the fourth greatest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup qualifier held in May. According to Salekar, she has been "batting as well as she ever has" and is one of the batters to keep an eye on while Chantham is away.

Thailand Squad for Women’s Asia Cup 2024

Thipatcha Putthawong (capt), Suwanan Khiaoto (wk), Nannapat Kocharoenkai (wk), Nattaya Boochatham, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Rosenan Kanoh, Phannita Maya, Chanida Sutthiruang, Suleeporn Laomi, Kanyakorn Bunthansen, Nannapat Chaihan, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Chayanisa Phengpaen, Koranit Suwanchonrathi, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi

UAE – Led by Esha Oza

UAE enters the league after losing their potential left-arm fast bowler Mahika Gaur to England. They were Asia Cup newcomers in 2022 and were one of the busiest sides in the buildup to the tournament, but their whole Quadrangular T20I series at home, which included the Netherlands, Scotland, and the United States, was rained out owing to floods in Dubai.

They won the Women's Premier Cup in February but were defeated by Sri Lanka in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup Qualifier in May. They have won eight of their eleven matches this year. Captain Esha Oza is the highest run-getter in women's T20Is in 2024, while adolescent legspinner Vaishnave Mahesh has 16 wickets this year. She might be a handful against the best teams in Dambulla, where India, Pakistan, and Nepal are also in Group A for the Women’s Asia Cup.

Key Player - Theertha Satish

The wicketkeeper-batsman is one of just three UAE players to have scored over 1000 runs in women's T20Is and one of only two active players with a strike rate of 100 or above. She excelled with her glovework and attitude behind the wickets in last year's inaugural Under-19 T20 World Cup, and she will seek to get UAE off to a quick start at the top of the order.

UAE Squad for Women’s Asia Cup 2024

Esha Oza (c), Theertha Satish (wk), Emily Thomas, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Lavanya Keny, Khushi Sharma, Indhuja Nandakumar, Rinitha Rajith, Rishitha Rajith, Vaishnave Mahesh, Suraksha Kotte, Heena Hotchandani, Mehak Thakur, Rithika Rajith

Nepal – High Hopes from Rubina

Nepal is making its third participation in the T20 Asia Cup. They became semifinalists in both the Women's Premier Cup and the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier in September 2023.

Nepal is headed by Indu Barma, who formerly captained Northern Queens in the Malaysian Super Women's League. Their players also competed in the Lalitpur Mayor Women's Championship, with allrounder Sita Rana Magar shining for the champions, APF Women. Barma had the greatest strike rate of any hitter in the tournament, with 176.92.

Nepal is placed in Group A along with India, Pakistan and UAE.

Key Player – Rubina Chhetry

Chhetry is Nepal's most capped team, with 55 appearances, and is second in terms of runs and wickets in T20Is. She led Nepal in 46 matches until stepping down in November 2023. Chhetry struck an undefeated 118 in Nepal's Women's Premier Cup match against Maldives, helping the team to a record 227 for 4, becoming the first player to reach a century in women's T20Is.

Nepal Squad for Women’s Asia Cup 2024

Indu Barma (capt), Sita Rana Magar, Rajmati Airee, Rubina Chhetry, Dolly Bhatta, Mamta Chaudhary, Kabita Joshi, Kabita Kunwar, Kritika Marasini, Puja Mahato, Bindu Rawal, Roma Thapa, Sabnam Rai, Samnjana Khadka, Kajal Sreshtha (wk)

Malaysia – An Eminent Underdog

Malaysia was runner-up to UAE in the ACC Women's Premier Cup. In May, the players prepared for the Asia Cup by competing in the five-team Malaysia Super Women's League, a domestic T20 event that included players from Malaysia, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Singapore, Hong Kong, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Malaysia is captained by Winifred Duraisingam, who has competed with some of the world's best players at the Fairbreak Invitational tournaments in 2022 and 2023. She is their third-most capped T20I player and one of just two Malaysian batters to have scored more than 1000 runs in the tournament. She is also their leading wicket-taker, with 47 wickets, and ended equal third in the Super Women's League bowlers' statistics.

Before the Women's Premier Cup, Malaysia defeated Kuwait 3-0 at home. They are in Group B, alongside Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Key Player – Elsa Hunter

Hunter, 19, has come a long way since she made her international debut at age 13. She is now Malaysia's fourth-highest T20I scorer, and her unbeaten 69 off 53 balls helped her team defeat Nepal in the Women's Premier Cup semi-finals. She earned the Player of the Match in the Super Women's League final, leading Western Wonder Women to victory. She has also signed a contract with the New South Wales Breakers for Australia's 2024-25 domestic season after participating in their pathway program for several years.

Malaysia Squad for Women’s Asia Cup 2024 

Winifred Duraisingam (capt), Aina Najwa (wk), Elsa Hunter, Mas Elysa, Wan Julia (wk), Ainna Hamizah Hashim, Mahirah Izzati Ismail, Nur Arianna Natsya, Aisya Eleesa, Amalin Sorfina, Dhanusri Muhunan, Irdina Beh Nabil, Nur Aishah, Nur Izzatul Syafiqa, Suabika Manivannan.

This year, Sri Lanka is hosting the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, starting from 19th July. On the same, Nepal W will confront UAE W in T20 1 of 15 and India W will lock horns with Pakistan W in T20 2 of 5.

Also Read - Suryakumar Yadav to Lead India for T20I Series Against Sri Lanka