2026 Asian Games: India vs Afghanistan in Men’s Cricket Quarterfinal
The Indian men’s cricket team, led by Shreyas Iyer, will begin its 2026 Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan in the quarterfinal on Monday. India has entered the knockout stage directly as one of the seeded teams and will be looking to start its campaign with a strong performance.
Afghanistan secured a quarterfinal meeting with India after the final Group A match between Japan and Nepal was abandoned because of rain. Nepal finished at the top of Group A with three points from two matches, while Afghanistan advanced in second place with two points.
Afghanistan began its Asian Games campaign with a 48-run victory over hosts Japan on September 24. However, the team suffered a five-wicket defeat against Nepal on September 25. Nepal successfully chased a target of 103 with five wickets in hand and 17.2 overs remaining.
The result meant that Nepal and Afghanistan progressed from Group A. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka had already secured direct qualification for the quarterfinals as seeded teams.
The group stage features Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A, while Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman are in Group B. The top two teams from each group move into the knockout stage, joining the seeded teams in the quarterfinals.
India has selected a strong squad for the tournament, with experienced players including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah. The quarterfinal against Afghanistan will be India’s first men’s cricket match of the 2026 Asian Games.
The cricket competition is being played in the T20 format. The tournament is scheduled to run from September 24 to October 3, with the semi-finals set to be played on October 1. The bronze-medal match and gold-medal final are scheduled for October 3.
India will also be aiming to retain the Asian Games men’s cricket gold medal. At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, India won the gold medal after the final against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain. India were awarded the gold based on their higher seeding.
India’s women’s team has already added to the country’s cricket success at the 2026 Games. The Indian women defeated Sri Lanka in the final to win the gold medal.
The upcoming quarterfinal against Afghanistan will therefore mark the start of India’s bid to defend its men’s cricket title. Afghanistan, meanwhile, will look to build on its experience in the tournament and challenge the seeded Indian side for a place in the semi-finals.