India will take on Nepal in women's international cricket for the first time on Tuesday. And the occasion, a Women's Asia Cup 2024 group match in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. The historic IND-W vs NEP-W match will be telecast live. Check live streaming and other match details HERE. (Full Coverage | Preview)
The final Group A match, to be played at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, will decide which teams qualify for the semi-finals from the set, also featuring Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
India, the seven-time champions, started their title defence with a resounding seven-wicket win against Pakistan. It was followed by a 78-run hammering of the UAE. Nepal also started with a win, beating the UAE by six wickets but they slumped to a nine-wicket defeat against Pakistan.
Group A standings
| Team | M | W | L | P | NRR |
| India | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3.298 |
| Pakistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.497 |
| Nepal | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -0.819 |
| UAE | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2.87 |
Can Nepal knock India out of the semi-final race?
As things stand now, all four teams are still in contention for a last-four berth. India, however, have all but confirmed a place in the semi-finals of the Women's Asia Cup 2024.
Besides winning both their matches so far, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led 'Women in Blue' have accumulated a Net Run Rate so massive (+3.298) that the Nepal game has been rendered irrelevant, effectively.
Nepal, on the contrary, will hope for a miracle when they take on India: a winning margin of unthinkable proportions to improve their NRR, which is currently -0.819, and also a favourable outcome in the Pakistan vs UAE match.
Nepal's outside chance of finishing top-two makes the Pakistan vs UAE match, the early kick-off on Tuesday, even more interesting. Two-time semi-finalists Pakistan are the overwhelming favourites against the UAE, but it's anyone's game. Also, UAE can still make the semis, mathematically.
India women and Nepal women team facts
India women will be playing their 190th T20I match, with Nepal their 14th different opponent in the format. India women first played a T20I match in 2006, and they have a 108-80 win-lose record with six no results in 189 outings. They are currently ranked third in the world.
Nepal women made their T20I debut in 2029. In 57 matches, they have a 39-17 win-lose record with one no result. Ranked 21st in the ICC Women's T20I rankings, they are the second-lowest-ranked side, only above Malaysia, in the Women's Asia Cup 2024.
