The Asian Games 2026 cricket schedule is confirmed, and India now know the exact route to defending both gold medals in Japan. Harmanpreet Kaur’s women begin against hosts Japan on September 18, while Shreyas Iyer’s men enter directly in the quarter-finals on September 28 against the runners-up from Group A.
Both competitions will be played in the T20 format at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture. The women’s tournament runs from September 17 to 22, followed by the men’s event from September 24 to October 3. India won both cricket titles at Hangzhou 2023 and will need three knockout victories in each competition to repeat that golden double.
Save these dates now: India Women play their quarter-final on September 18 at 10:30 AM IST, while India Men begin on September 28 at 10:00 AM IST.
India’s Asian Games 2026 Cricket Fixtures at a Glance
| India team | Opening match | Date and time | Route to gold |
|---|---|---|---|
| India Women | Quarter-final vs Japan | September 18, 10:30 AM IST | Quarter-final, semi-final, final |
| India Men | Quarter-final vs Group A runners-up | September 28, 10:00 AM IST | Quarter-final, semi-final, final |
The women’s competition is an eight-team straight knockout tournament. Bangladesh face China and Pakistan meet Thailand on September 17, before Sri Lanka play Malaysia and India face Japan the following day. The two semi-finals are scheduled for September 20, with both medal matches on September 22.1
The men’s event features 10 teams. Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal form Group A, while Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman are in Group B. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been seeded directly into the quarter-finals. The top two teams from each preliminary group will complete the knockout bracket.
Bookmark this page and follow the 4xSports Cricket section for squad changes, match previews and confirmed playing teams closer to each fixture.
Harmanpreet Kaur Leads India’s Women’s Title Defence
India have named a strong squad for the women’s knockout tournament, with Harmanpreet Kaur as captain and Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain. Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Renuka Thakur add proven international quality, while G. Kamalini, Bharti Fulmali and Nandni Sharma provide fresh options.
India Women squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), G. Kamalini (wicketkeeper), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Nandni Sharma and Pratika Rawal.
The latest published squad update lists Shreyanka Patil as subject to fitness. It also reports that Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out with a high-grade right hamstring tear and that a replacement had not yet been announced at the time of that update.
India’s opening opponent, Japan, will be playing at home and can approach the quarter-final with freedom. For the defending champions, the major challenge will be switching quickly into knockout mode. There is no group-stage cushion: one poor performance ends the gold-medal defence.
Shreyas Iyer Captains India’s Men’s Squad
Shreyas Iyer will lead a powerful men’s group featuring established international players and one of Indian cricket’s most closely watched young batters. Tilak Varma is vice-captain, with Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan selected as wicketkeeping options. Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is also included.
India Men squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
India will not know their quarter-final opponent until Group A is complete. Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal will compete for the two qualification places, with the second-placed team meeting India. Afghanistan have selected a predominantly younger squad led by Darwish Rasooli rather than the group chosen for the preceding T20I series against India.
The short gap between the Afghanistan vs India T20I series and the Asian Games will make selection management especially important. India’s Asian Games squad contains several players involved in that Delhi series, while Afghanistan will transition to a different group for Japan.
Complete Women’s Cricket Schedule
| Date | Match | Round | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Complete Men’s Cricket Schedule
| Date | Match | Round | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 24 | Afghanistan vs Japan | Group A | 5:30 AM |
| September 24 | Hong Kong China vs Malaysia | Group B | 10:30 AM |
| September 25 | Hong Kong China vs Oman | Group B | 5:30 AM |
| September 25 | Afghanistan vs Nepal | Group A | 10:30 AM |
| September 26 | Japan vs Nepal | Group A | 5:30 AM |
| September 26 | Malaysia vs Oman | Group B | 10:30 AM |
| September 28 | Pakistan vs Group B runners-up | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 28 | India vs Group A runners-up | Quarter-final | 10:00 AM |
| September 29 | Sri Lanka vs Group A winners | Quarter-final | 5:30 AM |
| September 29 | Bangladesh vs Group B winners | Quarter-final | 10:00 AM |
| October 1 | First semi-final | Semi-final | 5:30 AM |
| October 1 | Second semi-final | Semi-final | 10:00 AM |
| October 3 | Bronze medal match | Third-place playoff | 5:30 AM |
| October 3 | Gold medal match | Final | 10:00 AM |
All times above are in Indian Standard Time and are based on the schedule published on September 8. Readers should check for any late venue or timing changes before match day.
Why the 2026 Cricket Tournament Carries Extra Weight
Cricket is appearing at the Asian Games for the fourth time after Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2023. India made their cricket debut at Hangzhou and immediately won both gold medals. The women beat Sri Lanka by 19 runs, while the men finished ahead of Afghanistan after rain prevented the final from being completed.
The Aichi-Nagoya competition also arrives as cricket prepares to return to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028. Results in Japan count indirectly toward the sport’s LA28 ranking pathway, according to the latest Games guide.
That broader context raises the stakes. The teams are competing for Asian Games medals, but every strong performance also contributes to the growing profile of international T20 cricket in multi-sport events.
Where to Watch Asian Games 2026 in India
Olympics.com lists Sony Sports Network among the regional broadcasters for Aichi-Nagoya 2026.4 Broadcast channels, streaming access and sport-by-sport coverage can change, so viewers should confirm the final listing close to each match.
The Games officially run from September 19 to October 4, although cricket begins on September 17 and several other sports start before the Opening Ceremony. For one place covering the dates, sports, venues and viewing information, read our upcoming Asian Games 2026 complete guide.
The Big Question: Can India Win Both Gold Medals Again?
India have the depth and direct quarter-final entry to start as major contenders, but the knockout format leaves no room for recovery. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side must be ready immediately against Japan. Shreyas Iyer’s team will have more time, yet their first opponent will arrive with group-stage match practice.
The women’s tournament could be decided in only five days. The men’s preliminary groups may reshape the knockout draw before India even play. Selection, early-morning starts and adaptation to an unfamiliar cricket venue will matter as much as reputation.
Which side is more likely to defend its title—India Women or India Men? Share your prediction, send this schedule to another cricket fan and return to 4xSports for the next verified update.
Editorial note: Squads, fitness availability and match times can be updated by organisers or national boards.
