Sri Lanka defeats UAE by nine wickets in Women's Asia Cup opener

Sri Lanka began their Women's Asia Cup 2026 title defense with a nine-wicket victory over UAE after bowling the hosts out for 79 in Dubai.

Vimukthi and Ayodhya took three wickets each on T20I debut for the left-arm spinner, restricting UAE to a modest total. Captain Chamari Athapaththu then remained unbeaten on 48 as Sri Lanka chased down the target with 73 balls remaining.

Sri Lanka made several changes to the side that last faced Pakistan, giving opportunities to players who had not featured in recent matches.