Asian Games 2026 Cricket: India to Face Afghanistan in Quarter-Final
India’s campaign at the Asian Games 2026 Cricket tournament will begin with a quarter-final against Afghanistan on September 28. The Indian men’s team entered the knockout stage directly because of its position in the Asian T20I rankings.
The competition features 10 teams, with four sides — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — receiving direct quarter-final qualification. The other six teams had to compete in the opening round for the remaining four knockout places.
India vs Afghanistan Quarter-Final Date and Time
India will take on Afghanistan in the second quarter-final at the cricket venue in Nisshin, Japan.
| Match | Date | Time in India |
|---|---|---|
| India vs Afghanistan, QF 2 | September 28, 2026 | 10:30 AM IST |
Afghanistan finished second in Group A after the opening round, which confirmed the quarter-final matchup with India.
The match will be particularly important for India because the team is entering the tournament as the defending men’s cricket gold medallist.
How India Reached the Quarter-Finals
Unlike Afghanistan and the other unseeded teams, India did not have to play a group-stage match.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were seeded directly into the quarter-finals based on their continental T20I rankings.
The remaining six teams were divided into two groups. The top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage.
In Group A, Nepal finished first while Afghanistan took second place. Japan finished third. Therefore, Afghanistan earned the spot against India in the quarter-final.
Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Knockout Schedule
The quarter-finals will be followed by the semi-finals and medal matches.
| Match | Date |
|---|---|
| Pakistan vs B2 | September 28 |
| India vs Afghanistan | September 28 |
| Bangladesh vs B1 | September 29 |
| Sri Lanka vs Nepal | September 29 |
| Semi-final 1 | October 1 |
| Semi-final 2 | October 1 |
| Bronze Medal Match | October 3 |
| Gold Medal Final | October 3 |
India’s quarter-final is scheduled for September 28 at 10:30 AM IST.
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India Squad for Asian Games 2026
Shreyas Iyer will lead India’s men’s cricket team in the Asian Games.
India squad:
- Shreyas Iyer (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson
- Ishan Kishan
- Shivam Dube
- Tilak Varma
- Vipraj Nigam
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Harshit Rana
- Arshdeep Singh
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
The squad combines established T20 players with younger names, including teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Jasprit Bumrah is also part of the group for the Asian Games campaign.
Afghanistan Finish Second in Group A
Afghanistan secured second place in Group A after the opening phase. Nepal topped the group, while Japan finished third.
That result set up the Afghanistan vs India quarter-final.
For Afghanistan, the match will provide an opportunity to challenge one of the four seeded teams. Meanwhile, India will begin its title defence without having played a preliminary-round match.
India’s Road to the Asian Games Gold Medal
India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. The 2026 team will now attempt to retain that title in Japan.
If India defeat Afghanistan, the team will progress to the semi-finals on October 1. The tournament’s gold medal match is scheduled for October 3.
The other quarter-finals will determine the remaining semi-finalists, so India’s potential opponent in the next round will only become clear after the knockout results.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket: What to Watch
The India vs Afghanistan quarter-final brings together two teams with plenty of T20 experience.
Shreyas Iyer will have the responsibility of leading the side, while players such as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh provide established T20 options.
At the same time, the presence of Bumrah and the young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi adds further interest to India’s squad.
With the quarter-final now confirmed, India’s Asian Games campaign officially moves into the knockout phase on September 28.
FAQs
When is India vs Afghanistan in the Asian Games 2026?
India will face Afghanistan in the men’s cricket quarter-final on September 28, 2026.
What time does India vs Afghanistan start?
The quarter-final is scheduled to begin at 10:30 AM IST.
Who is India’s captain at the Asian Games 2026?
Shreyas Iyer is leading the Indian men’s cricket team.
Who will India face if they win the quarter-final?
India will advance to the semi-final on October 1. The exact opponent will depend on the other quarter-final results.
Is India defending its Asian Games cricket gold medal?
Yes. India won the men’s cricket gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games and enters the 2026 competition as the defending champion.
