Women’s cricket in Asia is going to receive another boost with the announcement of the 2nd Women’s Belt & Road T20I Quadrangular Tournament to be hosted by China from September 20 to 25, 2025, at the Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT) Cricket Field in Hangzhou.

Following the success of the inaugural tournament in 2023, the second edition demonstrates China’s increasing role in sports diplomacy, as part of their Belt and Road Initiative. The tournament, managed by the China Cricket Association (CCA), in collaboration with regional boards, has full T20I status, which means that all participating players are eligible for international caps.

Countries Participating 

A total of four associate countries- China, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and Mongolia will participate and will each show the development of cricket in East and South East Asia.

China (Host Nation): Coached by Han Jun, the team has a strong home record and is coming off good results against Myanmar and Mongolia last year. With a couple of new young pace bowlers emerging, China is hoping to challenge Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong (Defending Champions): With such key players as Natasha Miles and Kary Chan, they will enter this tournament as the favorites after going unbeaten in the 2024 tournament. Their combination of experience and youth will make it difficult to beat. 

Myanmar: With good players including Thiri Thiri Swe and Shwe Sin, Myanmar will look to build on a spirited performance at the 2024 Merlion Trophy. 

Mongolia: The newest country to international women’s cricket (since 2023) continues to grow rapidly with players such as Sarnai Ravdan and Oyundari Batbayar leading them forward.

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Tournament Format and Features

A round-robin format will be utilized for the four-nation tournament, where each of the four teams will play each other once. The top two teams will move to the final match on September 25, while the other two teams will play for the bronze medal. The games will all be played as day games at 10:00 AM local time (UTC+8), and broadcasted via streaming on CCA’s YouTube channel and ICC digital partners.

The tournament will feature learning workshops on coaching and officiating to develop grass-roots engagement beyond the pitch. The squads will have equal squad sizes, and have all female officials to demonstrate ICC's broader gender equity initiatives.

Hangzhou experiences mild weather in late September, averaging temperatures of 25–30 degrees, leading to batting friendly conditions but with the unpredictability of it potentially raining.

Full Schedule

Future Events

This event is more than just another set of matches; it is a stepping stone to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers in 2026. For China, a country that has had over 10,000 players registered in recent years, it is a drive to show possibilities in women's sport and cricket through cultural exchange related to the Belt and Road.

Live scores will be available on Cricbuzz, ESPNcricinfo and by following the official social channels. Hangzhou will host the up-and-coming cricket nations of Asia for this event once again.

In a cricketing encounter marked by a stark mismatch, Mongolia experienced a crushing defeat against Japan in a T20 International match held on May 8, 2024, at the Sano International Cricket Ground. The match witnessed Mongolia recording the second-lowest score in T20I history, managing a mere 12 runs in their innings.

Match Details

The T20 International clash between Mongolia and Japan unfolded at the Sano International Cricket Ground, highlighting the growing presence of cricket beyond traditional cricket-playing nations. Despite Mongolia’s earnest efforts, the match turned into a one-sided affair as Japan asserted their dominance on the field.

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Japan, batting first, posted a daunting total of 218 runs, buoyed by a stellar innings from Sabaorish Ravichandran, who contributed 69 runs to the team’s tally. In response, Mongolia faltered against Japan’s formidable bowling lineup, succumbing to the pressure and managing only 12 runs in their innings.

Mongolia’s Struggles

Mongolia’s batting lineup struggled to contend with Japan’s disciplined bowling attack, with the team failing to build partnerships or muster significant resistance. The young left-arm seamer, 17-year-old Kazuma Kato-Stafford, emerged as the chief tormentor for Mongolia, claiming an impressive 5-wicket haul for just 7 runs. His stellar performance epitomized Japan’s dominance throughout the match.

Despite efforts from individual players like Tur Sumaya, who top-scored with a modest 4 runs, Mongolia’s batting order collapsed under the relentless pressure of Japan’s bowlers. Namsrai Bat-yalalt, facing the most deliveries, was unable to anchor the innings, reflecting the collective struggle faced by the Mongolian team.

Lowest Totals in Men’s T20Is

Emerging Cricket in Mongolia

The harsh defeat against Japan underscores the challenges faced by Mongolia in its nascent journey in international cricket. Introduced to the sport only seven months prior, Mongolia has encountered formidable opposition and steep learning curves, exemplified by its struggles in various competitions, including the Asian Games.

This was the second T20I of a seven-match series, while the third one, slated later in the day, did not yield any result.

In the first T20I, Mongolia were bowled out for 33 in reply to Japan’s 199 for 5, enduring a 166-run defeat.

This was Mongolia’s fifth T20I appearance, having made international debut at the Hangzhou showpiece where they made a group stage exit after losing both their matches.

Nepal had amassed 314/3 against Mongolia on their international debut, a match they had lost by 273 runs after getting out for 41.