The Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament is set to be one of the biggest cricket attractions of the Aichi-Nagoya Games, with India entering Japan as the defending champions in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Cricket will be played in the T20 format, with 10 men’s teams and eight women’s teams competing for the Asian Games gold medal. The women’s competition will begin on September 17, while the men’s tournament starts on September 24. All matches are scheduled at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
India will be particularly keen to repeat its historic performance from the previous edition, where the country won gold medals in both men’s and women’s cricket.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket: Key Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Event | Asian Games 2026 |
| Host | Aichi-Nagoya, Japan |
| Cricket Format | T20 |
| Men’s Tournament | September 24 – October 3, 2026 |
| Women’s Tournament | September 17 – September 22, 2026 |
| Men’s Teams | 10 |
| Women’s Teams | 8 |
| Venue | Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin |
| Defending Men’s Champions | India |
| Defending Women’s Champions | India |
| Men’s Final | October 3, 2026 |
| Women’s Final | September 22, 2026 |
The Asian Games themselves will run from September 19 to October 4, but cricket begins before the official opening period, with the women’s competition starting on September 17.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Teams
Men’s Cricket Teams
A total of 10 teams will compete in the men’s T20 tournament:
- India
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Sri Lanka
- Afghanistan
- Japan
- Nepal
- Hong Kong, China
- Malaysia
- Oman
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been given direct entry into the quarter-finals. The remaining six teams will compete in the preliminary round.
Men’s Groups
Group A
- Afghanistan
- Japan
- Nepal
Group B
- Hong Kong, China
- Malaysia
- Oman
The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, where they will join India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Women’s Cricket Teams
Eight teams will participate in the women’s competition:
- India
- Japan
- Bangladesh
- China
- Sri Lanka
- Pakistan
- Malaysia
- Thailand
Unlike the men’s competition, the women’s tournament starts directly with the quarter-finals.
Women’s Quarter-Final Draw
- India vs Japan
- Bangladesh vs China
- Sri Lanka vs Malaysia
- Pakistan vs Thailand
Asian Games 2026 Women’s Cricket Schedule
The women’s competition runs from September 17 to September 22.
| Date | Match | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| September 17 | Bangladesh Women vs China Women | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 17 | Pakistan Women vs Thailand Women | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 18 | Sri Lanka Women vs Malaysia Women | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 18 | Japan Women vs India Women | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 20 | Semi-final 1 | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 20 | Semi-final 2 | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 22 | Bronze Medal Match | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 22 | Women’s Final | 10:30 AM IST |
The schedule is particularly important for Indian fans because India’s women’s quarter-final against hosts Japan is scheduled for September 18 at 10:30 AM IST according to the latest published fixture schedule.
Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Schedule
The men’s tournament begins with six preliminary-round matches.
Preliminary Round
| Date | Match | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| September 24 | Afghanistan vs Japan | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 24 | Hong Kong, China vs Malaysia | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 25 | Hong Kong, China vs Oman | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 25 | Afghanistan vs Nepal | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 26 | Japan vs Nepal | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 26 | Malaysia vs Oman | 10:30 AM IST |
The preliminary groups will determine the four teams joining India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals.
Men’s Quarter-Finals
| Date | Match | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| September 28 | Pakistan vs 2nd Group B | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 28 | India vs 2nd Group A | 10:30 AM IST |
| September 29 | Sri Lanka vs 1st Group A | 5:30 AM IST |
| September 29 | Bangladesh vs 1st Group B | 10:30 AM IST |
India’s quarter-final opponent will be the second-placed team from Group A, which consists of Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal. Therefore, India’s exact opponent will only be known after the preliminary matches conclude on September 26.
Semi-Finals and Medal Matches
| Date | Match | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| October 1 | Semi-final 1 | 5:30 AM IST |
| October 1 | Semi-final 2 | 10:30 AM IST |
| October 3 | Bronze Medal Match | 5:30 AM IST |
| October 3 | Men’s Final | 10:30 AM IST |
The men’s gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3 at 10:30 AM IST.
India’s Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Squad
India have named a strong 15-member men’s squad for their title defence.
India Men’s Squad:
- Shreyas Iyer – Captain
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson
- Ishan Kishan
- Shivam Dube
- Tilak Varma
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
The presence of experienced international players alongside emerging names makes India’s squad one of the strongest on paper.
Players to Watch – India Men
Shreyas Iyer:
The captain will be central to India’s batting strategy and middle-order stability.
Jasprit Bumrah:
One of the world’s leading fast bowlers, Bumrah gives India a major advantage in a short T20 tournament.
Abhishek Sharma:
His aggressive batting approach could be especially valuable in the powerplay.
Sanju Samson:
A dynamic batter and wicketkeeper who can change the momentum of a T20 match quickly.
Tilak Varma:
His ability to bat in the middle order and adapt to different match situations makes him an important player.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi:
One of the most closely watched young names in the squad, Sooryavanshi represents India’s next generation of T20 talent.
India’s Asian Games 2026 Women’s Cricket Squad
India’s women’s team will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana among the leading names.
India Women’s Squad:
- Harmanpreet Kaur – Captain
- Smriti Mandhana
- Shafali Verma
- Pratika Rawal
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh
- Gunalan Kamalini
- Bharti Fulmali
- Sree Charani
- Renuka Thakur
- Kranti Gaud
- Arundhati Reddy
- Shreyanka Patil
- Radha Yadav
- Nandani Sharma
The squad combines experienced international players with younger talent.
Players to Watch – India Women
Harmanpreet Kaur:
The captain remains one of India’s most experienced big-match players.
Smriti Mandhana:
Her aggressive left-handed batting makes her one of the tournament’s biggest attractions.
Shafali Verma:
Known for her attacking style, Shafali can potentially decide a T20 game during the powerplay.
Deepti Sharma:
Her all-round ability gives India balance with both bat and ball.
Richa Ghosh:
A dangerous middle-order batter and wicketkeeper who can accelerate the innings.
Renuka Thakur:
Her new-ball bowling could be particularly important in the knockout format.
India also enter the Games with considerable momentum after winning the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the final on September 13.
Asian Games Cricket History: How India Became Defending Champions
Cricket became a medal sport at the Asian Games at the 2010 Guangzhou Games, where both men’s and women’s T20 competitions were introduced.
2010 Asian Games
The men’s gold medal went to Bangladesh, which defeated Afghanistan in the final. Pakistan won bronze. In the women’s competition, Pakistan won gold, while Bangladesh took silver.
India did not participate in the 2010 cricket competitions.
2014 Asian Games
At the Incheon Asian Games, Sri Lanka won the men’s gold medal, defeating Afghanistan in the final. Bangladesh took bronze. In the women’s competition, Pakistan successfully defended its title by defeating Bangladesh, while Sri Lanka won bronze.
2018 Asian Games
Cricket was not included in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang.
2022 Asian Games – Held in 2023
Cricket returned at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023. This edition was historic for India.
The Indian men’s team won its first Asian Games cricket gold medal, defeating Afghanistan in the final. India’s women’s team also won gold, defeating Sri Lanka. India therefore enters Aichi-Nagoya 2026 as the defending champion in both men’s and women’s cricket.
Why Asian Games 2026 Cricket Is Important
The tournament is not simply another T20 competition. Cricket is also returning to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028, where men’s and women’s T20 competitions will be contested. The Asian Games are therefore an important part of cricket’s growing multi-sport-event pathway.
For Japan, the tournament is also an important opportunity to increase cricket’s visibility in a country where baseball and football remain much more established sports. Japan’s cricket authorities have been working to expand the sport’s presence, and the Asian Games will bring major cricket nations such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to Japanese grounds.
Where to Watch Asian Games 2026 Cricket in India?
Indian cricket fans will be able to follow the Asian Games cricket action through Sony Sports Network and Sony LIV, subject to the final broadcaster programming for individual matches. Sony holds the Indian broadcast rights for the Asian Games.
Television
Sony Sports Network
Online Streaming
Sony LIV
The early match timings actually work reasonably well for Indian viewers. The main Japanese start times are 9:00 AM JST and 2:00 PM JST, translating to approximately 5:30 AM and 10:30 AM IST.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Venue
All cricket matches are scheduled at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture. The venue is located near Nagoya and has been prepared to host the cricket competition during the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Both men’s and women’s tournaments will use the same cricket venue.
India vs Pakistan: Can We See a Final Clash?
A potential India-Pakistan clash will be one of the biggest attractions for cricket fans.
However, the two teams are positioned on opposite sides of the men’s knockout draw. India and Pakistan therefore cannot meet in the men’s quarter-finals. If both reach the final stages, a meeting would be possible only later in the tournament. The women’s draw also gives the tournament plenty of potential for high-profile matchups as the competition progresses.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket: What Fans Should Watch
Several storylines could dominate the tournament:
1. India’s Double Gold Defence
India will attempt to retain both men’s and women’s cricket gold medals.
2. Shreyas Iyer’s Leadership
The men’s campaign will be led by Shreyas Iyer, who will have to manage a squad combining established international players and emerging talent.
3. Harmanpreet Kaur’s Team
India’s women’s team arrives after its Asia Cup triumph and will aim to carry that momentum into Japan.
4. Japan’s Cricket Moment
The host nation’s teams will receive a major international platform in front of a home audience.
5. Emerging Asian Cricket Nations
Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman will get an opportunity to compete against some of Asia’s strongest cricket nations.
6. Potential India-Pakistan Thriller
Depending on the knockout results, the tournament could produce another major India-Pakistan contest.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule at a Glance
Women’s Cricket: September 17–22
Men’s Cricket: September 24–October 3
Format: T20
Venue: Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan
Women’s Teams: 8
Men’s Teams: 10
India Women’s Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
India Men’s Captain: Shreyas Iyer
India Women’s First Match: India vs Japan – September 18
India Men’s First Match: India vs Group A runner-up – September 28
Women’s Final: September 22
Men’s Final: October 3
India Broadcast: Sony Sports Network
India Streaming: Sony LIV
The tournament promises a compact, knockout-heavy cricket schedule, meaning there will be very little margin for error. India’s status as defending champions makes both campaigns particularly important, while the presence of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan adds considerable depth to the competition.
Final Word
The Asian Games 2026 cricket competition will give fans two weeks of T20 cricket featuring some of Asia’s biggest cricket nations alongside emerging teams.
For India, the objective is straightforward: defend both gold medals won at Hangzhou 2023.
The women’s team begins first against hosts Japan, while the men’s side starts its title defence from the quarter-final stage on September 28. With stars such as Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Abhishek Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma in the Indian squads, the cricket competition could become one of the most-watched events of Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
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