Cricket is all set to return to the Asian Games after a nine-year gap, and this time the games will be played in the T20 format. Although the sport was part of the editions in 2010 Guangzhou and 2014 Incheon, it will be the first time that the Indian teams will be in action.

The BCCI has sent a full strength women’s team but named a second-string men’s team for the event, as the regular team is involved in preparations for the ICC World Cup, starting October 5.

Accordingly, all the big names in the Indian women’s team, including the likes of Smriti Mandhana, U-19 World Cup winning captain Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and others are expected to be in action in China.

The Indian women’s team has received a bye to the quarterfinals and will start as overwhelming favourites when they open their campaign in the continental event against a relatively weaker Malaysia at the Zhejiang University of Technology, Pingfeng Cricket Field on Thursday.

Besides India and Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand are the other teams in contention in the last-eight.

As far as stats are concerned, India is the only Asian team to have made it to the semifinals or beyond at the last three ICC Women’s T20 World Cups. But they will be wary of their rivals in the last-four stages, in which they will possibly be up against the winner between Bangladesh and Hong Kong, while Pakistan could face Sri Lanka in the other potential semifinal.

The contest against Malaysia will serve as a good warm-up for the Indian team, out of action since the tour of Bangladesh in July. In the absence of regular skipper Harmanpreet, who was banned for two matches following her outburst after the third and final ODI against Bangladesh, Smriti will be in charge of the Blue brigade.

Harmanpreet will miss India’s first two games at the Asian Games, and will return to action in the final should the team reach that far. The cricket competition at the Asian Games has been accorded international status by the International Cricket Council.

Going by India’s last international outing against Bangladesh, in which they had to sweat it hard for a 2-1 win in the T20Is, it seems the potential semifinal clash won’t be a cakewalk for Smriti Mandhana and Co. Bangladesh are the silver medalists in the last two editions when cricket was a part of the Games.

On the other hand, both Sri Lanka and Pakistan are back after registering series wins against England and South Africa, respectively.

While four Indians – Mandhana, Rodrigues, Ghosh, and Kaur – have played in The Hundred Women’s competition after the Bangladesh series, the rest have been missing in action since then.

Lack of permanent head coach

The Indian team has been without a permanent head coach since last 9 months, with batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar returning to take up the role after the BCCI appointed former India spinner Nooshin Al Khadeer as interim coach for the tour of Bangladesh.

On the back of some improved performances in the last few years, the Indian women’s team has come closer to winning world titles, and a gold medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou will only be the shot in the arm for the girls.

India women’s squad:

Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Pooja Vastrakar, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry, Anusha Bareddy