Unbeaten Sri Lanka face Pakistan for the right to meet India in the Women's Asia Cup final

Sri Lanka and Pakistan meet in Dubai on Friday for the last place in the Women's Asia Cup final, where India are already waiting

The second semi-final of the Women's Asia Cup 2026 sends an unbeaten Sri Lanka against a Pakistan side whose captain has spent the build-up talking about her batting. The winner plays India at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

India took the first place in the final on Thursday, posting 149 for 6 and holding Bangladesh to 109 for 7 for a 40-run win at the same ground.

Sri Lanka are the defending champions and have won both of their previous Asia Cup semi-finals against Pakistan, in 2022 and in 2024. This is the third edition running in which the draw has put the two together at this stage.

Sri Lanka come through Group B unbeaten

Chamari Athapaththu's side won all three of their group matches, finishing above Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

The last of those wins was the tightest. Bangladesh were bowled out for 114, with Chamudi Praboda taking 3-21, and Sri Lanka slipped to 44 for 5 in reply before Harshitha Samarawickrama made an unbeaten 48 to see them home with four wickets standing and four balls to spare.

Samarawickrama has form for finishing these occasions. She was 69 not out in the 2024 final, when Sri Lanka chased down India's 165 for 6 to win the title for the first time.

The spell that set the tournament alight

Athapaththu's own contribution has been the performance of the group stage. Against Indonesia on 2 September she took 7-5 from 3.3 overs, a spell that included the first hat-trick by a Sri Lankan in a T20 international.

Indonesia were dismissed for 49 in reply to Sri Lanka's 124 for 7, a 75-run defeat. Athapaththu is also her side's leading batter, and made 63 in the 2024 semi-final against these opponents.

Fatima Sana wants more from the batting

Pakistan finished second in Group A behind India, beating Thailand by 35 runs and Hong Kong, China by 72 runs either side of a seven-wicket defeat to India.

The win over Hong Kong was built on Nashra Sandhu, whose 6-7 is a Pakistan record for a bowler in the format. Pakistan made 143 for 8 and their opponents were dismissed for 71.

The batting has been the harder question. "I think in the batting side we need more, like strike rotation in the batting, and we need more partnerships," Fatima Sana said after that match, per ANI.

"So we just go and sit together and discuss a lot of things before the semi-final because we know that it's a knockout match, so we will try," the Pakistan captain added.

Two semi-finals Pakistan will not want repeated

In 2022 at Sylhet, Sri Lanka made 122 for 6 and Pakistan finished on 121 for 6, beaten by a single run.

Two years later at Dambulla it was almost as close. Pakistan posted 140 for 4, Sri Lanka replied with 141 for 7 with a ball in hand, and Athapaththu's 63 was the difference.

Sri Lanka went on to beat India by eight wickets in that final. Pakistan have never reached an Asia Cup final.

Spin likely to decide it in Dubai

The Dubai surface has tended to offer the quicker bowlers something with the new ball before slowing, and both sides are built to squeeze through the middle overs.

Pakistan can call on Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan; Sri Lanka have Athapaththu herself alongside Kavisha Dilhari and Sugandika Kumari.

The forecast is clear, with the temperature around 31C at the start of play and no rain expected.

The second semi-final begins at 8pm IST, and the winner meets India in Sunday's final in Dubai.

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