The Women's Asia Cup kicks off with a highly anticipated clash as defending champions India face arch-rivals Pakistan in a prime-time showdown on Friday. Eight teams are set to compete, aiming to solidify their line-ups ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup in October.

Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India enters the tournament as the team to beat, having dominated previous editions with three T20 titles out of four and a perfect record in the 50-over format.

India boasts an impressive record against Pakistan in T20s, winning 11 out of 14 encounters. Kaur's squad looks to capitalize on their recent form, following a drawn series against South Africa, where they showcased strong performances despite a rain-affected match.

In contrast, Pakistan, who last played in England in May and suffered a 3-0 defeat, enters the tournament with limited game-time and confidence.

India's batting strength, anchored by Smriti Mandhana, and the resurgence of their bowling attack, highlighted by Pooja Vastrakar's recent form and the return of spinners like Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, and Shreyanka Patil, pose formidable challenges for opponents.

Despite retaining Nida Dar as captain, Pakistan has undergone significant squad changes, introducing new faces like Tasmia Rubab while dropping six players.

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