Can anyone stop India in Women's Asia Cup?

Dubai: India's unyielding prowess in the Women's Asia Cup continued on Thursday as they dispatched Bangladesh by 40 runs in the semifinal, securing their place in the final for an unprecedented 10th consecutive time. This achievement accentuates India's unparalleled record in the tournament, with India having participated in every final since its inception in 2004.

The team's dominance is evident, having clinched the first six editions they entered between 2004 and 2016, until Bangladesh thwarted their streak with a nail-biting three-wicket win in the 2018 final. Following that, India retaliated by clinching the 2022 edition, defeating Sri Lanka in the final, but fell short to the same opponents in the 2024 title.

Despite these setbacks, India's overall performance remains unparalleled, boasting seven titles from the nine completed editions prior to this year's tournament. Their prowess is further underscored by their remarkable 47 victories out of 51 matches in the Asia Cup. The current campaign has once again highlighted the squad's depth, with Smriti Mandhana as one of India's pivotal players at the top of the order, and Deepti Sharma providing stability and wickets with the ball.

In their latest encounter against Bangladesh, Shafali Verma shone with a 64-run innings, while Deepti Sharma claimed three crucial wickets as India defended 149 runs with ease. India's consistency has made them the gold standard in Asian women's cricket, with Harmanpreet Kaur's side now poised to add an eighth Asia Cup title to their collection.

With another final secured, the question remains: can anyone stand in their way? Only time will reveal the answer. For now, India remains undefeated in the tournament. The final is scheduled for 12 September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium at 6:30 PM local time. India eagerly awaits their opponent as defending champions Sri Lanka and Pakistan vie for a spot in the final.