A fresh India–Pakistan cricket clash is on the calendar but this time it’s the women’s ‘A’ teams who are set to take centre stage. India and Pakistan will face each other in the women’s Rising Stars Asia Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 15. The date is striking, as it coincides with the much-debated men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match between the two countries, which is scheduled to take place in Colombo.
The Pakistan Cricket Board announced its women’s ‘A’ squad on February 1 and confirmed that Pakistan ‘A’ has been grouped with India ‘A’, UAE and Nepal in Group A of the tournament. Group B includes Bangladesh ‘A’, Sri Lanka ‘A’, Malaysia and hosts Thailand. Each team will play three group matches, after which the top two sides from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The India ‘A’ versus Pakistan ‘A’ match is scheduled for February 15 at 2 pm local time, which is 12:30 pm IST.
The timing of this announcement drew attention because it came on the same day the Pakistani government reportedly directed its senior men’s team not to take the field against India in Colombo. This directive has added a layer of uncertainty and intrigue around cricketing ties between the two nations.
According to reports, the Pakistan women’s ‘A’ team has not received any instructions regarding a possible change or cancellation of their match against India ‘A’. Their preparations for the Rising Stars Asia Cup are continuing as planned, suggesting that, for now, the women’s fixture remains unaffected by the political developments surrounding the men’s game.
The Rising Stars Asia Cup is organised by the Asian Cricket Council, which is currently headed by Mohsin Naqvi. Mohsin Naqvi also leads the Pakistan Cricket Board and serves as a powerful minister in the Pakistani government. He is believed to have played a key role in Pakistan’s decision to boycott the men’s T20 World Cup match against India.
Mohsin Naqvi had earlier criticised the International Cricket Council over Bangladesh’s absence from the World Cup schedule, calling it unfair after the Bangladesh Cricket Board declined to play matches in India due to security concerns. He reportedly discussed the situation with the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif before the final decision was taken.
Interestingly, in 2025, the ACC went ahead with organising multiple India–Pakistan men’s matches across different tournaments, even as tensions remained high following Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam ter*or att@ck. Against this backdrop, the women’s ‘A’ match now stands out as a rare sporting contest moving forward amid ongoing political strain.
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