The cricket match schedule for the 2026 Asian Games in Aoi-Nagoya, Japan has been announced and the defending champions India will advance directly to the quarter-finals of the men’s and women’s T20 events. Cricket will be played in T20 format and will have full international status. The women’s competition will be held from September 17th to 22nd, and the men’s competition will be held from September 24th to October 1st at Korogi Sports Park in Aichi Prefecture.According to the rankings, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have all reached the men’s quarter-finals. The remaining four quarter-final places will be determined through the preliminary stage, with the six teams divided into two groups.Group A includes Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal, while Group B includes Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman. The top two teams in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. Since India and Pakistan are on opposite sides of the draw, the two rivals can only meet if they reach the semi-finals or finals.India will face one of the teams that advanced from the preliminary rounds in the quarter-finals.
Women’s team starts against Japan
The Indian women’s team will defend their title against host Japan in the quarter-finals. If India wins, they will face either Bangladesh or China in the semi-finals.The other quarter-final matches will pit Sri Lanka against Malaysia, while Pakistan will face Thailand. India aims to retain its gold medal in the men’s and women’s competitions at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
