New Delhi, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Twelve years ago, Indonesia had no Women’s T20I status, no turf cricket ground and little organised structure beyond expatriate clubs. On Monday, the country’s women’s team will step onto the Dubai International Stadium for its maiden Women’s Asia Cup match against Bangladesh.
Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous country spread across more than 17,000 islands, will also face defending champions Sri Lanka and hosts the UAE in the tournament.
Leading the side is wicketkeeper-batter Ni Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini, who discovered cricket at school in 2013. She had grown up playing badminton, Indonesia’s most successful Olympic sport, but saw cricket as an opportunity to pursue a national career.
“Because of that, I loved the sport. But badminton has so many players, and it was difficult to be involved in the national team. So, I thought cricket was good for me, and now it’s my career,” Nanda told IANS.
A national women’s championship was established in 2014, followed by a development tour to Jaipur in 2015. Nanda made her T20I debut in 2019 and now leads Indonesia into the biggest senior tournament in Asian women’s cricket.
“It’s really an exciting and incredible feeling and a big honour for me to lead Indonesia on such a big stage,” she said. “I feel very proud to be part of this journey. It’s taken a long time for me to get into this position.”
Head coach Nitish Salekar, who previously worked with Thailand’s women’s team and played for Maharashtra, said Indonesia’s talent pool has expanded considerably.
“When you compare to Thailand, there are some similarities – the passion with which they play cricket. But when I came, the depth of women cricketers was more in Indonesia,” Salekar said.
According to Persatuan Cricket Indonesia chairman Abhiram Singh Yadav, around 200,000 people play cricket in the country, including about 100,000 women. Cricket is now played across 21 islands.
The federation introduced the sport in schools using Kasti, a traditional Indonesian bat-and-ball game, and developed coaching material in Bahasa Indonesia. The ICC’s Cricket4Good initiative has also helped introduce the game to elementary schoolchildren using plastic bats and balls.
Indonesia’s development accelerated after cricket was included in the country’s National Sports Games in 2016. Several members of the current senior squad also came through Indonesia’s campaign at the inaugural U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023.
The team’s breakthrough at senior level came after Indonesia joined the Asian Cricket Council in 2024. Having missed the Women’s Asia Cup that year, the side returned strongly at this year’s ACC Women’s Premier Cup in Malaysia, winning five consecutive matches against Singapore, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman and Hong Kong. A 113-run victory over Oman secured Indonesia’s historic Asia Cup qualification.
“I was obviously happy and excited for the girls,” Salekar said. “The one thing I have told them is to enjoy this stage, and make the most out of it. It’s a great opportunity to showcase your talent on a big stage.”
Indonesia’s progress has come despite a major infrastructure limitation. Until now, the country has had no natural-turf cricket pitch, with its 21 provinces relying on AstroTurf. The federation has contracted two international-standard turf grounds, which Yadav expects to be ready by November or December.
Salekar believes the change will significantly improve the team’s skills, particularly batting.
“The overall cricket will dramatically change when you shift from astro to turf,” he said.
The journey has also demanded personal sacrifices. Nanda left her physical education teaching job to concentrate on cricket, while some teammates continue to balance university studies with training six days a week. The squad includes players from Papua, East Nusa Tenggara and Jakarta, although most are based in Bali.
The team is equally notable for its religious diversity. Its players include Muslims who wear the hijab as well as Christian, Catholic, Buddhist and Hindu players.
“Our difference in religion does not really matter because we share the same goals – to represent Indonesia,” Nanda said. “Everyone has different beliefs, and we respect each other’s beliefs, support each other, and I will always make sure everyone feels included in the team.”
Yadav said players from different faiths pray together before matches, taking turns despite their different religious backgrounds. Unlike the men’s side, which includes expatriate players, he said the women’s squad is entirely Indonesian.
Indonesia’s ambitions extend well beyond its Asia Cup debut. Yadav believes the team can overtake regional rival Thailand within one to two years, while the federation is scheduled to host the Women’s East Asia World Cup qualifier on its new Bali ground next May.
“Our target is definitely reaching the top 12 in the next five years, and hopefully, afterwards, we can be in the top 10,” Yadav said.
Salekar estimates that Indonesia could become competitive at senior World Cups within three to five years. The country will also have opportunities for further international exposure through the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games.
For Nanda, however, the immediate objective is simple: make the most of the historic occasion and inspire more Indonesian girls to take up cricket.
“I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to wear the Indonesian jersey on such a big stage. I hope we can show the world that we also can compete against big teams,” she said.
With cricket returning to the Olympics, Nanda is already dreaming of a bigger future, though she insists Indonesia must take the journey one step at a time.
“We’ll start with the Asia Cup, and hopefully, sometime in the future, we’ll play in the Olympics as well,” she said.
For a country that began building women’s cricket from almost nothing, Monday’s appearance in Dubai represents far more than another tournament fixture. It is the culmination of more than a decade of development, sacrifice and belief in a sport that once had barely a foothold in Indonesia.
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