Thailand and Malaysia Secure Spots in 2026 Asian Games Women's Cricket

Thailand and Malaysia have successfully qualified for the women's cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games, joining China. The qualifiers, held in Kuala Lumpur, showcased thrilling matches, including Thailand's dominant performance against China. The tournament will feature eight teams in a T20 format, with automatic qualifications for several Full Members. Read on for detailed results and insights into the upcoming Asian Games.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 31, 2026, 17:46 IST

Thailand and Malaysia Shine in Women's Cricket Qualifiers

Thailand and Malaysia have both clinched their places in the women's cricket tournament for the 2026 Asian Games, alongside China, which secured third place on Sunday. The prestigious Asian Games are set to occur in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, during September and October. The qualifying matches took place in Kuala Lumpur from May 26 to May 31, where Thailand dominated Group A, achieving victories against both Malaysia and Hong Kong. Malaysia advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Hong Kong, joining Thailand, Nepal (Group B leaders), and China (runners-up).

Results from the Qualifier Knockout Stage

In the semi-finals, Thailand triumphed over China by 83 runs, bowling them out for a mere 53 runs. Meanwhile, Malaysia successfully chased down Nepal's score of 126 for 6, winning by two wickets with eight balls to spare. Congratulations are in order for Thailand, Malaysia, and China for securing their spots in the upcoming event in Japan. #AsianGames #ACC

Final Match Highlights

With the finalists already assured of their Asian Games qualification, the third-place match became crucial, where China overcame Nepal in a rain-affected game using the DLS method, winning by five wickets. In the final, Thailand bowled Malaysia out for just 54 runs, achieving a nine-wicket victory.

Thailand is recognized as one of the leading Associate teams in women's cricket, having previously participated in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia after qualifying in 2019. Currently, Thailand ranks 12th in the ICC T20I rankings, with Malaysia at 28th and China at 42nd.

Structure of the 2026 Asian Games Tournament

The women's cricket competition at the Asian Games will feature eight teams competing in the T20 format. Four Full Members from the region—Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—will qualify automatically, along with the host nation, Japan. The men's qualifying tournament is still in progress.

Men's Competition Overview

In the men's category, Japan, as the host, along with five regional Full Members—Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka—have qualified directly. Four additional teams will emerge from the ongoing qualifiers, which include Nepal, China, Malaysia, Qatar, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Oman, and Singapore.