<p>After a nine-year absence, cricket is about to return to the Asian Games, and this time the matches will be played in the T20 format. The Indian teams will compete for the first time, despite the sport having been included in editions in 2010 Guangzhou and 2014 Incheon.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-192007″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-indian-womens-team-is-the-early-favorite-to-defeat-malaysia-in-the-asian-games-dow.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com indian womens team is the early favorite to defeat malaysia in the asian games dow” width=”1016″ height=”676″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-indian-womens-team-is-the-early-favorite-to-defeat-malaysia-in-the-asian-games-dow.jpg 275w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-indian-womens-team-is-the-early-favorite-to-defeat-malaysia-in-the-asian-games-dow-150×100.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 1016px) 100vw, 1016px” title=”Indian women's team is the early favorite to defeat Malaysia in the Asian Games 6″></p>
<p>The BCCI sent a men’s squad that is second-string since the main team is preparing for the ICC World Cup, which begins on October 5. However, the women’s team was sent at full strength.</p>
<p>All of the prominent members of the Indian women’s squad, such as Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, captain of the U-19 World Cup champions, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and others, are thus anticipated to play in China.</p>
<p>The Indian women’s team will begin their campaign in the continental competition against a somewhat inferior Malaysia on Thursday at the Zhejiang University of Technology, Pingfeng Cricket Field as overwhelming favorites after receiving a bye to the quarterfinals.</p>
<p>The other teams competing for a spot in the final eight, in addition to India and Malaysia, are Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand.</p>
<p>According to statistics, only India has advanced to the semifinals or beyond in the previous three ICC Women’s T20 World Cups. However, they will be cautious of their competitors in the last four rounds, where they may meet the winner of Bangladesh vs. Hong Kong, with Pakistan perhaps facing Sri Lanka in the other semifinal.</p>
<p>The Indian squad, which hasn’t played since a visit to Bangladesh in July, would benefit from a nice warm-up in the match against Malaysia. Smriti will lead the Blue brigade in place of usual captain Harmanpreet, who was suspended for two games for her outburst during the third and final ODI against Bangladesh.</p>
<p>In the event that India makes it to the final of the Asian Games, Harmanpreet will play again after missing the previous two contests. The International Cricket Council has granted the Asian Games’ cricket tournament international status.</p>
<p>It seems the prospective semifinal match won’t be a stroll in the park for Smriti Mandhana and Co. based on India’s most recent international match against Bangladesh, when they had to work hard for a 2-1 victory in the T20Is. In the past two iterations when cricket was a competition, Bangladesh won the silver medal.</p>
<p>On the other side, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have both returned after winning series against South Africa and England, respectively.</p>
<p>Following the Bangladesh series, four Indians—Mandhana, Rodrigues, Ghosh, and Kaur—played in The Hundred Women’s tournament, while the other nine have been absent ever since.</p>
<p>not having a permanent head coach</p>
<p>Since the previous nine months, the Indian team has been without a regular head coach. Batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar has taken up the position after the BCCI named former India spinner Nooshin Al Khadeer as temporary coach for the team’s trip to Bangladesh.</p>
<p>A gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou would only provide the Indian women’s team the boost they need as a result of their recent better results that have brought them closer to winning global championships.</p>
<p>Team India women:</p>
<p>Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry, and Anusha Bareddy are also included. Harmanpreet Kaur (C) is also included.</p>
