MUSCAT: Oman women, skippered by Priyanka Mendonca, will head to Malaysia for the ACC Women’s Premier Cup 2026 brimming with confidence as they look to secure a place in the knockout stage and move closer to qualification for the Asia Women’s Cup.

The T20I tournament, featuring 18 teams from across Asia, will be played from June 3 to 13 across multiple venues in Malaysia. Oman have been drawn in Group B alongside UAE, China, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

According to the latest ICC Women’s T20I rankings released on April 27, Oman are ranked seventh among the participating teams. While UAE are the highest-ranked side in the group at No. 2, Oman hold a rankings advantage over China (10th), the Philippines (15th) and Saudi Arabia (18th), boosting their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, with the four semi-finalists securing qualification for the Asia Women’s Cup, making every group match crucial.

Oman coach Desmond Berhardt believes the tournament presents an excellent platform for his players to showcase their abilities against some of the continent’s strongest teams.

“An 18-team tournament is a really good opportunity for the players to showcase their talent as they will be playing against some of the leading teams in the region,” Berhardt said.

“We have worked tirelessly over the last calendar year. We have played some good series, worked on combinations, and clearly defined the roles of players through those matches. We played in the GCC Cup and couple of bilateral series and also brought in some young players. The girls are confident. We are ranked seventh and will take it game by game,” the coach added.

Berhardt has urged his players to remain positive and trust the work they have put in over the past year.

“I have told the players to play their natural game and make the right decisions on the field. We hope to reach the second round and make the country proud.”

Oman open their campaign against China on June 3 before taking on the formidable UAE the following day in what could be a key contest in determining the group standings. They then face Saudi Arabia on June 6 and conclude their group-stage campaign against the Philippines on June 7.

With a year of preparation behind them and a favourable ranking against three of their four group opponents, Oman will be aiming to make a strong impression in Malaysia and keep their hopes of Asia Women’s Cup qualification alive.

Oman squad: Priyanka Mendonca (captain), Fiza Javed (vice-captain), Jayadhanyha Gunasekar, Hina Javed, Amanda Dcosta, Trupti Pawde, Cynthia Mary Saldanha, Sameera Khan, Nitya Joshi, Alifiya Sayed, Lujaina Sajid, Afida Aftab, Sahana Jeelany, Sushanthika Ashok.

Support staff: Desmond Berhardt (head coach), Amir Ali (assistant coach), Damith Warusavithana (manager).

Oman women’s fixtures (Oman time): June 3: Oman vs China, 10am; June 4: Oman vs UAE, 5.30am; June 6: Oman vs Saudi Arabia, 10am; June 7: Oman vs Philippines, 5.30am.