For Hong Kong women’s cricket, the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup is more than another tournament. It is a chance to measure how far they have come since their first appearance in 2012, when they did not yet have T20I status. They secured their place in this year’s tournament after reaching the semi-finals of the ACC Women’s Premier Cup in Malaysia.

Hong Kong finished eighth in 2012 after losing all three group matches, including a 142-run defeat to Pakistan after being bowled out for 15. The ICC granted T20I status to all its member nations from July 1, 2018, with Hong Kong playing their first WT20I in January 2019.

Their return to the Asia Cup as a recognised T20I side brings a much bigger challenge. Hong Kong will face Thailand on August 28 before taking on India on September 3 and Pakistan on September 7 in Group A.

For captain Natasha Miles, however, the focus is not on the stature of the opposition but on embracing the opportunity.

“We’ve spoken about it as a team: relish the moment,” Miles tells India Today in an interview organised by Sony.

“It’s not often that we get the opportunity to play teams like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and face the likes of Smriti (Mandhana) and Harmanpreet (Kaur), the big names on the international stage.

“So, it’s about taking this opportunity in our stride, making the most of it, going out there, expressing ourselves and showing what Hong Kong has been doing over the last few years, and how we can compete at that level.”

Hong Kong have built a strong record in regional cricket, winning the Women’s East Asia Cup in 2017 and 2022 before retaining the title in 2024. In the 2024 final against Japan, Miles and Mariko Hill put together an unbeaten opening stand as Hong Kong won by 10 wickets.