Photo: Courtesy of the General Administration of Sport

The Chinese women's national cricket team has qualified for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games after finishing in the top three at the Asian Games Women's Cricket Qualifier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ending a 12-year wait to return to the tournament.

The qualifications, held from May 23 to 31, 2026, featured six teams competing for three available spots at the Asian Games. Winners Thailand, runners-up Malaysia and China ultimately claimed the coveted berths.

China's qualification was confirmed after their third-place playoff win over Nepal on Sunday, after their dramatic campaign that included a narrow group-stage victory in the group stage and a heavy semifinal defeat in the semifinals.

The Chinese team, current world No.43, opened their campaign with a hard-fought three-wicket win over world No.21 Indonesia. Chasing 83, they reached the target with just one ball to spare, finishing on 83/7 after restricting Indonesia to 82/9.

However, momentum fluctuated in their second group match, where they fell to Nepal by 19 runs. Nepal posted 125/5 before China were restricted to 106/5 in reply. 

With one win and one defeat, China advanced from the group stage to the knockout rounds.

In the semifinals, China faced a dominant Thailand side, current world No.12, and were bowled out for 53, suffering an 83-run defeat as Thailand progressed comfortably to the final. 

The result forced China into a third-place playoff against Nepal on Sunday, with the final qualification spot at stake.

In a tense and weather-disrupted decider, China held their nerve in a shortened seven-over contest. Nepal were restricted to 50/5 before China chased a revised target under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, reaching victory to secure qualification. 

The Chinese women's team's qualification marks another step in the team's progress on the international stage. 

The side has previously competed in Asian Games editions in 2010 and 2014, finishing in the fourth place twice. The 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will mark another opportunity for China to test itself against stronger Asian opponents.