Women's Asia Cup Winners List (2004-2026): Complete Champions List
The definitive record of every Women's Asia Cup edition — winners, runners-up, captains, finals scorecards, and the story of how India's dominance was twice interrupted by history-making underdogs.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: Asia's Premier Women's Cricket Tournament
- Complete Winners List at a Glance (2004-2026)
- Winners with Captains and Player Awards
- Team-wise Titles Summary
- History and Evolution of the Tournament
- The ODI Era (2004-2008): India's Early Supremacy
- The T20 Era (2012-Present): A New Chapter
- 2018: Bangladesh's Historic Upset
- 2022: India Bounce Back in Sylhet
- 2024: Sri Lanka's Maiden Title in Dambulla
- 2026: India's Record Eighth Crown in Dubai
- Notable Records and Milestones
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Introduction: Asia's Premier Women's Cricket Tournament
The Women's Asia Cup is the flagship continental championship for women's national cricket teams in Asia, organised under the umbrella of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). First held in 2004, the tournament has grown from a modest bilateral contest between India and Sri Lanka into a multi-nation event featuring up to eight teams, including emerging sides such as Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates alongside established powers like Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Over ten editions spanning more than two decades, the Women's Asia Cup has mirrored the broader rise of women's cricket in the region — from low-profile beginnings in Colombo in 2004 to prime-time T20 finals watched by millions. Only three nations have ever lifted the trophy: India, who have dominated with eight titles; Bangladesh, who stunned the continent in 2018; and Sri Lanka, who claimed a fairytale maiden crown on home soil in 2024 [1][4].
This article compiles the complete Women's Asia Cup winners list from 2004 to 2026 — including every final result, winning captain, player of the match and series, and the defining stories behind each edition — making it a one-stop reference for cricket fans, quiz aspirants, and current affairs preparation alike.
Complete Women's Asia Cup Winners List (2004-2026)
The table below presents every edition of the Women's Asia Cup held so far, with the format, host, winner, runner-up, and the final result [1][2][4]:
| Year | Format | Host | Winner | Runner-up | Final Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ODI | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka | India won the series 5-0 |
| 2005-06 | ODI | Pakistan | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 97 runs |
| 2006 | ODI | India | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2008 | ODI | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 177 runs |
| 2012 | T20I | China | India | Pakistan | India won by 18 runs |
| 2016 | T20I | Thailand | India | Pakistan | India won by 17 runs |
| 2018 | T20I | Malaysia | Bangladesh | India | Bangladesh won by 3 wickets |
| 2022 | T20I | Bangladesh | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2024 | T20I | Sri Lanka | Sri Lanka | India | Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets |
| 2026 | T20I | UAE | India | Sri Lanka | India won by 72 runs |
Winners List with Captains and Player Awards
Behind every title run is a captain who marshalled the campaign and standout performers who defined the final. Here is the edition-by-edition breakdown of winning captains, Player of the Match (final), and Player of the Series awards [1]:
| Year | Winner | Winning Captain | Player of the Match (Final) | Player of the Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | India | Mamatha Maben | Anju Jain | Anjum Chopra |
| 2005-06 | India | Mithali Raj | Mithali Raj | — |
| 2006 | India | Mithali Raj | Sunetra Paranjpe | Dedunu Silva (SL) |
| 2008 | India | Mithali Raj | Asha Rawat | Rumeli Dhar |
| 2012 | India | Harmanpreet Kaur | Punam Raut | Bismah Maroof (PAK) |
| 2016 | India | Harmanpreet Kaur | Mithali Raj | Mithali Raj |
| 2018 | Bangladesh | Salma Khatun | Rumana Ahmed | Harmanpreet Kaur (IND) |
| 2022 | India | Harmanpreet Kaur | Renuka Singh | Deepti Sharma |
| 2024 | Sri Lanka | Chamari Athapaththu | Harshitha Samarawickrama | Chamari Athapaththu |
| 2026 | India | Harmanpreet Kaur | Shafali Verma | Shafali Verma |
A few striking patterns emerge from this table. Harmanpreet Kaur has now captained India to five Asia Cup titles (2012, 2016, 2022, 2026, plus the 2012 edition at the start of her leadership journey), making her the most successful captain in the tournament's history. Mithali Raj led India to three titles in the ODI era. Remarkably, Harmanpreet was named Player of the Series even in 2018 — the one edition India lost — underlining her consistent individual brilliance across campaigns [1].
Team-wise Titles Summary
| Team | Titles | Runner-up Finishes | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 8 | 2 | 2004, 2005-06, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2022, 2026 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 6 | 2024 |
| Bangladesh | 1 | 0 | 2018 |
| Pakistan | 0 | 2 | — |
The numbers tell a story of overwhelming Indian dominance punctuated by two seismic upsets. Sri Lanka, despite reaching the final six times, had to wait until 2024 — on home soil in Dambulla — to finally get over the line [4]. Pakistan have twice finished runners-up (2012 and 2016), both times falling short against India, while Bangladesh's single final appearance in 2018 famously ended in triumph [2].
History and Evolution of the Tournament
The Women's Asia Cup was conceived by the Asian Cricket Council as a platform to develop and showcase women's cricket in the region. Its evolution can broadly be divided into three phases:
Phase 1: The Bilateral Beginnings (2004)
The inaugural 2004 edition in Sri Lanka was not a multi-team tournament at all — it was effectively a five-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka, designated as the Asia Cup. India, led by Mamatha Maben, swept the series 5-0, with veteran wicketkeeper-batter Anju Jain and the prolific Anjum Chopra among the standout performers [1][4].
Phase 2: The ODI Expansion (2005-2008)
The tournament expanded to include Pakistan in the 2005-06 edition hosted in Karachi, and grew further in 2008 when four teams participated in Sri Lanka. India won all three ODI editions comfortably, with Mithali Raj's captaincy and batting forming the backbone of their supremacy.
Phase 3: The T20 Transformation (2012-Present)
In 2012, the ACC switched the tournament to the Twenty20 format — a forward-looking move that aligned the event with the format's global rise and made it accessible for emerging nations. Hosted in Guangzhou, China, the 2012 edition featured eight teams, the largest field at that time. Since then, the tournament has been held in Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the UAE, serving as a vital competitive platform for associate members such as Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, and the UAE to test themselves against Asia's elite [4].
The tournament has generally been held biennially, though scheduling gaps — including the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed the 2020 edition to 2022 — have occasionally altered the rhythm [4].
The ODI Era (2004-2008): India's Early Supremacy
2004 — Sri Lanka: India Sweep the Inaugural Edition 5-0
The first Women's Asia Cup, held in Colombo in April 2004, was a two-team affair between India and hosts Sri Lanka, played as a five-match ODI series. India, under captain Mamatha Maben, won all five matches to claim the inaugural title without dropping a game. Anju Jain's performances behind and in front of the stumps earned her the Player of the Match honours in the decisive game, while Anjum Chopra's consistency made her the Player of the Series [1].
2005-06 — Pakistan: Mithali's Masterclass in Karachi
The second edition, hosted by Pakistan at the National Stadium in Karachi, marked the tournament's expansion to three teams with the inclusion of the hosts. India and Sri Lanka again contested the final, and this time India posted a formidable 269/4 in 50 overs before restricting Sri Lanka to 172/9, winning by 97 runs. Captain Mithali Raj led from the front with the bat, earning Player of the Match in the final [1][4].
2006 — India: Home Triumph in Jaipur
Later the same year, India hosted the third edition at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The final turned into a rout: Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 93, and India cruised to the target in under 28 overs with eight wickets in hand. Sunetra Paranjpe was the star of the final, while Sri Lanka's Dedunu Silva took home the Player of the Series award despite her team's defeat [1][4].
2008 — Sri Lanka: The Biggest Win of the ODI Era
The fourth edition in Kurunegala featured four teams — India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (with Bangladesh making their tournament debut). The final produced the most lopsided result in Asia Cup history: India amassed 260/7 and then skittled Sri Lanka for a mere 83, winning by a massive 177 runs. Asha Rawat shone in the final, and all-rounder Rumeli Dhar was named Player of the Series [1][4]. This would be the last ODI-format edition — when the tournament returned in 2012, it had been reborn as a T20 competition.
The T20 Era (2012-Present): A New Chapter
2012 — China: Eight Teams, One Familiar Winner
The 2012 edition in Guangzhou, China, was historic in two ways: it was the first T20-format Women's Asia Cup, and with eight participating teams it was by far the largest edition yet. India, now led by a young Harmanpreet Kaur, defended a modest 81 in the final against Pakistan, bowling them out for 63 to win by 18 runs in a low-scoring thriller. Punam Raut's contributions in the final proved decisive, while Pakistan's Bismah Maroof was named Player of the Series [1][4].
2016 — Thailand: Mithali Rolls Back the Years
Hosted at the Asian Institute of Technology Ground in Bangkok, the 2016 edition saw India and Pakistan meet in the final once again. India posted 121/5 and restricted Pakistan to 104/6, winning by 17 runs. In a fitting tribute to her enduring class, Mithali Raj was named both Player of the Match in the final and Player of the Series [1][4].
2018: Bangladesh's Historic Upset in Kuala Lumpur
The 2018 edition in Malaysia produced arguably the greatest shock in the history of women's cricket in Asia. India entered the final at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur as six-time champions and overwhelming favourites against a Bangladesh side that had never reached an Asia Cup final, let alone won one.
Batting first, India were strangled by disciplined Bangladeshi bowling and crawled to 112/9 in their 20 overs. In reply, Bangladesh held their nerve in a tense chase, getting home with three wickets in hand off the final ball of the match. All-rounder Rumana Ahmed was the hero of the final, and captain Salma Khatun lifted the trophy that ended India's twelve-year stranglehold on the competition [1][4].
2022: India Bounce Back in Sylhet
The 2022 edition — delayed from its original 2020 slot by the pandemic — was hosted by Bangladesh in Sylhet with seven teams in the fray. India, smarting from the 2018 defeat and a shock group-stage loss to Pakistan earlier in this very tournament, produced a ruthless all-round display in the final against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka never got going with the bat, limping to 65/9 in their 20 overs against a relentless Indian attack spearheaded by Renuka Singh, whose new-ball burst earned her Player of the Match. India knocked off the target in just 8.3 overs, winning by eight wickets with more than half their innings to spare. All-rounder Deepti Sharma was named Player of the Series for her outstanding contributions with both bat and ball, and Harmanpreet Kaur collected her third Asia Cup title as captain [1][4].
2024: Sri Lanka's Maiden Title in Dambulla
The 2024 Women's Asia Cup, held entirely at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, delivered a dream ending for the hosts. Sri Lanka, five-time beaten finalists, finally broke their title drought in front of an ecstatic home crowd — and they did it against the might of seven-time champions India.
India batted first and posted a competitive 165/6, built on opener Smriti Mandhana's fluent 60 off 47 balls and a late cameo from Richa Ghosh (30 off 14). But Sri Lanka's chase was a masterclass. Captain Chamari Athapaththu set the tone with a blistering 61 off 43 balls (9 fours, 2 sixes), before Harshitha Samarawickrama played the innings of her life — an unbeaten 69 off 51 balls — to take Sri Lanka home at 167/2 in 18.4 overs, sealing an eight-wicket win [3][4].
Samarawickrama was named Player of the Match, while Athapaththu — whose leadership and batting carried the team through an unbeaten campaign — was named Player of the Series. It was only the second time in nine editions that India had lost an Asia Cup final, and it confirmed that women's cricket in Asia now had genuine depth beyond its traditional powerhouse [1][3].
2026: India's Record Eighth Crown in Dubai
The landmark tenth edition of the Women's Asia Cup, held in the United Arab Emirates with the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, saw India reassert their continental supremacy with a commanding 72-run victory over Sri Lanka in the summit clash.
Batting first, India piled up an imposing 183/5 in their 20 overs, with opener Shafali Verma producing a match-defining innings at the top of the order. Sri Lanka, chasing 184 for what would have been back-to-back titles, never recovered from early setbacks and were bowled out for 111 — despite India dropping five catches in the field, a statistic that only underlines how dominant their bowling performance was [1][5].
For Harmanpreet Kaur, it was a record-extending triumph as captain, and for Shafali Verma, a clean sweep of the evening's honours — Player of the Match in the final and Player of the Series. India's eighth title in ten editions re-established the Women in Blue as the undisputed queens of Asian cricket, while Sri Lanka's run to yet another final confirmed their status as the continent's most consistent challengers [1][5].
Notable Records and Milestones
- Most titles: India — 8 (2004, 2005-06, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2022, 2026) [1][2].
- Most successful captain: Harmanpreet Kaur, who has led India to multiple titles across the T20 era [1].
- Biggest win (by runs): India's 177-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the 2008 ODI final at Kurunegala [4].
- Fastest chase in a final: India reaching 66 in just 8.3 overs against Sri Lanka in the 2022 final at Sylhet [4].
- Only unbeaten champions other than India: Sri Lanka in 2024, who went through the entire Dambulla tournament without a defeat [1][3].
- Closest final: Bangladesh's three-wicket, last-ball win over India in Kuala Lumpur in 2018 [4].
- Player of the Series from a losing side: Harmanpreet Kaur (India, 2018) — a rare honour in tournament history [1].
- Final appearances without a title: Pakistan — 2 (2012 and 2016), both lost to India [2].
- Formats used: Four editions in ODI format (2004-2008) and six in T20I format (2012-2026) [4].
- Largest edition by teams: The 2012 (Guangzhou), 2024 (Dambulla), and 2026 (UAE) editions each featured eight teams [4].
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times has India won the Women's Asia Cup?
India have won the Women's Asia Cup a record eight times — in 2004, 2005-06, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2022, and 2026 — making them the most successful team in the tournament's history by a wide margin.
Which teams other than India have won the Women's Asia Cup?
Only two other teams have lifted the trophy: Bangladesh, who beat India by 3 wickets in the 2018 final in Kuala Lumpur, and Sri Lanka, who beat India by 8 wickets in the 2024 final in Dambulla.
Who won the Women's Asia Cup 2026?
India won the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Shafali Verma was named both Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
When was the first Women's Asia Cup held, and who won it?
The first Women's Asia Cup was held in 2004 in Sri Lanka. It was played as a five-match ODI series between India and Sri Lanka, and India won it 5-0 under captain Mamatha Maben.
In which formats has the Women's Asia Cup been played?
The tournament was played in the ODI format from 2004 to 2008 (four editions) and switched to the T20I format from 2012 onwards (six editions so far, through 2026).
Who is the most successful captain in Women's Asia Cup history?
Harmanpreet Kaur is the most successful captain, having led India to multiple T20-era titles including 2016, 2022, and 2026. Mithali Raj captained India to three ODI-era titles (2005-06, 2006, 2008).
What was the biggest upset in Women's Asia Cup history?
Bangladesh's three-wicket win over six-time champions India in the 2018 final in Kuala Lumpur is widely regarded as the tournament's biggest upset — Bangladesh's first and only Asia Cup title, sealed off the last ball of the match.
Who won the Women's Asia Cup 2024?
Sri Lanka won their maiden Women's Asia Cup title in 2024, defeating India by 8 wickets in the final at Dambulla. Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out) and captain Chamari Athapaththu (61) starred in the successful chase of 166.
Conclusion
From a two-team ODI series in Colombo in 2004 to an eight-nation T20 spectacle under the Dubai lights in 2026, the Women's Asia Cup has charted the remarkable growth of women's cricket in Asia over two decades. India's eight titles reflect a legacy of sustained excellence built by generations of greats — from Mamatha Maben, Anju Jain, and Mithali Raj to Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Shafali Verma. But the tournament's most enduring moments arguably belong to the challengers: Bangladesh's last-ball miracle in 2018 and Sri Lanka's emotional homecoming triumph in 2024 proved that the continental crown is no longer India's by default.
With the next edition set to continue the T20 tradition and emerging nations like Thailand, Nepal, and the UAE gaining valuable experience with every tournament, the Women's Asia Cup promises an even more competitive future. Bookmark this page for the complete, updated champions list — a ready reference for cricket enthusiasts, quiz competitions, and exam preparation alike.
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