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The schedule for the Asian Games 2026 cricket matches has been released. India and Pakistan will advance directly to the quarter-finals, making a match between them possible only in the semi-finals or finals.

Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule: The schedule for the Asian Games 2026 cricket matches has been released. Cricket has been included for the fourth time in this multi-sport event to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Indian cricket fans will be keenly watching the potential match between India and Pakistan, but according to the schedule, the two teams will not face each other in the opening round.

India will compete as the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s categories. Both competitions will be played in the T20 format, and all matches will be given full international status. The women’s cricket competition will be held from September 17 to 22, while the men’s matches will be played from September 24 to October 1.

Asian Games 2026: India-Pakistan clash likely only in the semifinals or final

In the men’s category, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have secured direct quarterfinal berths due to their top seedings. The remaining four teams will qualify from the preliminary round. Group A includes Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal, while Group B includes Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, and Oman. India and Pakistan will play separate matches in the quarterfinals, so the two teams cannot face each other at this stage. If both teams win their respective matches, their clash will only be possible in the semifinals or final.

· Preliminary Round

– Group A

– Group B
Hong Kong, China
Malaysia
Oman

– Quarter-finals (Direct Entry)
India vs TBD
Pakistan vs TBD
Sri Lanka vs TBD
Bangladesh vs TBD

– Top four… pic.twitter.com/Kj1DOFCYk5

— Talha Nawaz (@TalhaDigital007) July 24, 2026

Asian Games 2026: Women’s team to open campaign against Japan

Women’s Division India has also secured a direct berth in the quarter-finals. The Indian team, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, will begin its campaign against hosts Japan. A win in this match will see India face either Bangladesh or China in the semi-finals. In the other quarter-final, Sri Lanka will face Malaysia, and Pakistan will face Thailand.

Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer and Harmanpreet Kaur to lead the charge

The Indian men’s team will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, with players like Jasprit Bumrah, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, and young batsman Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the tournament. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the women’s team, with Smriti Mandhana serving as vice-captain. Experienced players like Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Renuka Thakur, and Shreyanka Patil also feature in the team.

Asian Games 2026: India to defend title in both categories

At the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, India won gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories. This time, the Indian team will face the challenge of winning a second consecutive gold medal. Given their strong team composition and experience, India is once again considered a strong contender for the title, while cricket fans will hope to witness another India-Pakistan clash at the Asian Games following the impressive performances of both teams.