The men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games will begin on 24 September in Nagoya, Japan, featuring 10 teams. According to the tournament draw, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have received direct qualification to the quarterfinals, while Afghanistan will have to begin its campaign in the preliminary stage.
The preliminary round will feature Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, and Oman, competing for the remaining four quarterfinal berths. The six teams have been divided into two groups of three, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout stage.
Following the draw, Afghanistan has been placed in Group A alongside Japan and Nepal. Group B consists of Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Oman. The four teams that progress from the preliminary round will join India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in the quarterfinals, where the race for the medals will continue.
All cricket matches at the 2026 Asian Games, in both the men’s and women’s competitions, will be played in the Twenty20 (T20) format. T20 is one of cricket’s most popular formats, renowned for its fast-paced and highly entertaining nature.
The women’s competition will take place from 17 to 22 September, with eight teams entering directly at the quarterfinal stage. According to the schedule, India will face Japan, Bangladesh will play China, Sri Lanka will take on Malaysia, and Pakistan will meet Thailand.
At the previous edition of the Asian Games officially known as the 2022 Asian Games, which were held in Hangzhou, China, in 2023 India won the gold medal in both the men’s and women’s cricket tournaments, completing a clean sweep of the cricket events.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
