Patiala, 13 Sep (Sports Desk)
India’s women’s cricket team will begin its Asian Games 2026 campaign in the quarter-finals against hosts Japan on September 18, while the men’s team will start its title defence against the Group A runners-up on September 28.
Cricket at the Asian Games 2026 will be played from September 17 to October 3 at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi, Japan. Both the men’s and women’s competitions will follow the T20 format.
Defending champions India will participate in both tournaments after winning gold medals in the men’s and women’s categories at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
Women’s Cricket Competition
The women’s tournament will run from September 17 to September 22 and will feature eight teams in a straight knockout format.
The competition will begin with four quarter-finals. Bangladesh will face China in the opening match on September 17, followed by Pakistan versus Thailand. Sri Lanka will take on Malaysia in the third quarter-final before India face hosts Japan on September 18.
The semi-finals are scheduled for September 20, while the bronze medal match and final will be played on September 22.
Men’s Cricket Competition
The men’s tournament will begin on September 24 and conclude with the medal matches on October 3.
Ten teams will compete in the men’s event. Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal have been placed in Group A, while Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman form Group B.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, joining four seeded teams—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
India will begin its campaign against the Group A runners-up on September 28. Pakistan will face the Group B runners-up earlier on the same day.
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Sri Lanka will meet the Group A winners on September 29, while Bangladesh will take on the Group B winners in the final quarter-final.
The men’s semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, followed by the bronze medal match and gold medal match on October 3.
Asian Games 2026 Women’s Cricket Schedule
All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST).
| Date | Match | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 17 | Bangladesh vs China | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 17 | Pakistan vs Thailand | Quarter-final | 10:30 AM |
| September 18 | Sri Lanka vs Malaysia | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 18 | India vs Japan | Quarter-final | 10:30 AM |
| September 20 | Pakistan/Thailand winner vs Sri Lanka/Malaysia winner | Semi-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 20 | Bangladesh/China winner vs India/Japan winner | Semi-final | 10:30 AM |
| September 22 | Bronze Medal Match | Third-place Playoff | 5:30 AM |
| September 22 | Gold Medal Match | Final | 10:30 AM |
Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Groups
Group A
- Afghanistan
- Japan
- Nepal
Group B
- Hong Kong China
- Malaysia
- Oman
Seeded Teams
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket schedule
| Date | Match | Round | Time |
| September 24, Thursday | Afghanistan vs Japan | Group A | 5:30 AM |
| September 24, Thursday | Hong Kong China vs Malaysia | Group B | 10:30 AM |
| September 25, Friday | Hong Kong China vs Oman | Group B | 5:30 AM |
| September 25, Friday | Afghanistan vs Nepal | Group A | 10:30 AM |
| September 26, Saturday | Japan vs Nepal | Group A | 5:30 AM |
| September 26, Saturday | Malaysia vs Oman | Group B | 10:30 AM |
| September 28, Monday | Pakistan vs B2 | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 28, Monday | India vs A2 | Quarter-final | 10:00 AM |
| September 29, Tuesday | Sri Lanka vs A1 | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 29, Tuesday | Bangladesh vs B1 | Quarter-final | 10:00 AM |
| October 1, Thursday | Pakistan/B2 vs Bangladesh/B1 | Semi-final | 5:30 AM |
| October 1, Thursday | India/A2 vs Sri Lanka/A1 | Semi-final | 10:00 AM |
| October 3, Saturday | Bronze medal match | Third-place playoff | 5:30 AM |
| October 3, Saturday | Gold medal match | Final | 10:00 AM |
The Asian Games 2026 cricket competition promises another exciting chapter for Indian cricket, with both the men’s and women’s teams aiming to defend their respective titles on the international stage.
