Indu Barma won the coin toss, and Nepal decided to bowl against the UAE in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024 opening game.
After placing in the semifinals of the ACC Women’s Premier Cup, Nepal was making its first appearance in the competition since 2016. They selected an experienced top three, starting with all-rounder Sita Rana Magar at No. 3, veteran Rubina Chhetry, who gave up the captaincy last year, at No. 3. After missing their previous match, the Premier Cup, left-arm spinner Kritika Marasini, who topped the bowling rankings in the local league in May, also managed to get a spot in the starting lineup.
After losing to Sri Lanka in the qualification semi-final in May, UAE—the champions of the Women’s Premier Cup—nearly missed out on a spot in the October Women’s T20 World Cup. They possessed a lineup that was well-established and had a number of versatile players. Their starting lineup matched that of the T20 World Cup qualifier in terms of balance.
The weather in Dambulla was windy, and presenter Isobel Joyce said that bowlers would find it difficult to deal with a left-right combination of batters.
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