India A Women will head into the ACC Rising Star Asia Cup with a clear objective, defend their crown and Radha Yadav has been entrusted with leading the side for the upcoming T20 tournament in Thailand.
The Women’s Selection Committee on Thursday announced a 15-member squad that blends emerging talent with valuable domestic and international experience. The tournament will be played from February 13 to 22, marking the second edition of the Rising Star Asia Cup after its inaugural staging in Hong Kong three years ago.
Alongside Radha Yadav, the India A squad features promising names such as Vrinda Dinesh, Anushka Sharma, and Nandni Sharma, players who have impressed consistently on the domestic circuit.
Deeya Yadav and Mamta M have also been included in the squad, although their participation remains subject to medical clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. India A enters the competition as the defending champions, having lifted the title in the previous edition, and will once again be among the favourites to go the distance.
India A have been placed in Group A, alongside Pakistan A, Nepal and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The campaign begins with an opening match against UAE on February 13, followed by a high-profile clash against Pakistan A on February 15. India A will conclude their group-stage fixtures against Nepal on February 17.
The other group includes Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Malaysia and hosts Thailand, setting up a competitive tournament structure. The semi-finals are scheduled for February 20, with the final set to be played on February 22, giving teams little margin for error as the competition progresses.
With Radha Yadav at the helm and a squad built around youth and potential, the Rising Star Asia Cup offers India A another opportunity to strengthen its bench and showcase the next generation of Indian women’s cricketers on the continental stage.
India A squad for ACC Rising Star Asia Cup Team:
Humairaa Kaazi, Vrinda Dinesh, Anushka Sharma, *Deeya Yadav, Tejal Hasabnis, Nandani Kashyap (WK), *Mamta M (WK), Radha Yadav (C), Sonia Mendhiya, Minnu Mani, Tanuja Kanwer, Prema Rawat, Saima Thakor, Jintamani Kalita, Nandni Sharma
*Subject to fitness
