India A suffered a surprise setback at the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) produced a composed all-round performance to secure a seven-wicket victory in their Group A opener at the Terdthai Cricket Ground in Bangkok on Friday.
Asked to bat first, India A endured a stuttering innings and finished with 130/9 in 20 overs, a total that proved insufficient against a confident UAE batting unit. Anushka Sharma and Tanuja Kanwar were the standout performers with the bat, but early wickets and a lack of sustained partnerships hurt the defending champions.
India A were immediately put on the back foot by a sharp new-ball spell from Samaira Dharnidharka, who ripped through the top order inside the powerplay. Humaira Kazi departed for 3 in the second over, followed quickly by Tejal Hasabnis for 1, leaving India A reeling at 9/2. Dinesh Vrinda attempted to inject momentum with a brisk 16, but Dharnidharka struck again in the sixth over to complete an impressive three-wicket burst, tightening UAE’s grip on the contest.
With wickets falling regularly, Anushka Sharma emerged as the backbone of India A’s innings. She crafted a composed 47 off 45 balls, striking seven boundaries while rebuilding through the middle overs. However, support was limited at the other end. Captain Radha Yadav was dismissed for 7, while Minnu Mani (8) and wicketkeeper Madiwala Mamatha (1) failed to convert their starts, keeping India A from gaining late momentum.
Tanuja Kanwar provided a much-needed boost towards the end with a lively 34 off 25 deliveries, including five fours, helping India A crawl past the 120 mark and reach 130/9.
In reply, UAE approached the chase with clarity and composure. Captain Esha Oza led from the front with a superb unbeaten 72 off 61 balls, striking eight fours and two sixes while expertly controlling the tempo of the innings. Theertha Satish contributed 10 before falling in the seventh over, but the wicket did little to disrupt UAE’s rhythm. Dharnidharka capped off an outstanding all-round performance by adding a confident 34 off 31 balls, ensuring the required rate never escalated.
Tanuja Kanwar briefly threatened to turn the match by removing Dharnidharka in the 18th over, but with just 20 needed from 18 balls, UAE remained firmly in command. Needing four runs in the final over, UAE lost a wicket on the first ball before Heena Hotchandani struck a boundary to seal the win with four balls to spare, finishing on 131/3 in 19.2 overs.
India A’s bowlers struggled to make inroads, with only Radha Yadav, Prema Rawat and Tanuja Kanwar managing a wicket apiece on a day where UAE consistently stayed ahead of the game. Placed in Group A alongside Pakistan A, UAE and Nepal, India A will now look to bounce back quickly. Each team plays the others once, with the top two advancing to the semi-finals. India A’s next challenge comes against Pakistan A on Sunday, a fixture that now carries added importance.
