Harmanpreet Kaur's India Rout Hong Kong by 137 Runs

The Result in Dubai

India, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, beat Hong Kong, China by 137 runs in a Group A match of the Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026, a result The Times of India reported took the side into the semi-finals.

India posted 193. Smriti Mandhana made 124 off 64 balls with 14 fours and seven sixes, her career-best score in Twenty20 internationals, and was named Player of the Match.

Speaking afterwards, Harmanpreet began with the positives. She said Mandhana and Shefali Verma had played really well and helped the team post a big total, and that the pitch was better than the previous one, though she felt the side still had notes to take on the conditions.

Hong Kong's View

Hong Kong, China captain Natasha Miles said her team bowled well in phases and had the game in their hands for the first 10 to 12 overs, until Mandhana's innings showed India's quality.

Miles said her side needs more exposure at this level to build belief, and that competing against higher-ranked teams is essential for confidence. She described a conversation with Harmanpreet and said the takeaway was bravery, the commitment to play big shots from the first ball.

The Times of India reported that India's seamers bowled with discipline up front before the spinners took over, and that Marina Lamplough was the only Hong Kong batter to show real spark.

Form and the Road Ahead

Before the match, TV9 Telugu reported that criticism had been directed at Harmanpreet's batting form and that a big innings from her had become important for the team. The sources do not say what she scored against Hong Kong, China.

Both EENADU and TV9 Telugu described India's batting as a concern coming into the fixture. In the tournament opener against Thailand, India were 101 for two after 10 overs and looked set for more than 200, then lost their last seven wickets for 29 runs and finished on 159. India still won that match by 94 runs, according to TV9 Telugu.

Shafali Verma made 64 in that game. TV9 Telugu reported that all-rounder Deepti Sharma took three wickets without conceding a run and became the leading wicket-taker in the history of women's T20 internationals.

TV9 Telugu also reported that Pratika Rawal came into the side in place of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, that India's final group match is against Pakistan, and that the Asian Games in Japan follow the Asia Cup. EENADU noted India have won the Twenty20 Asian title three times.