India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have secured direct qualification for the knockout stage of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games after the official tournament draw was announced.
The men’s cricket event, which begins on September 24 in Nagoya, Japan, will feature 10 teams competing in the Twenty20 (T20) format.
India, Pakistan Among Top Seeds
As the highest-ranked teams, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been handed automatic places in the quarter-finals.
The remaining six teams will battle through the preliminary stage for the final four knockout spots.
Preliminary Round Groups Confirmed
The six teams have been divided into two groups:
Group A
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- Afghanistan
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- Japan
- Nepal
Group B
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- Hong Kong
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- Malaysia
- Oman
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage and join the four seeded nations.
Women’s Cricket Quarter-Final Fixtures
The women’s cricket tournament will take place from September 17 to September 22, with all eight participating teams entering directly into the quarter-finals.
The confirmed fixtures are:
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- India vs Japan
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- Bangladesh vs China
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- Sri Lanka vs Malaysia
- Pakistan vs Thailand
All Matches to Be Played in T20 Format
Both the men’s and women’s competitions will be played under the Twenty20 format, continuing the format introduced at the previous Asian Games.
India Defending Both Gold Medals
India enters the tournament as the defending champion in both categories after winning the men’s and women’s gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games, which were held in Hangzhou in 2023 following a postponement.
The 2026 edition in Nagoya will see Asia’s leading cricket nations compete once again for continental supremacy.
