---
title: "Asian Games 2026 Cricket: India Women Reach Final, Men Gear Up for Title Defence"
url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-cricket-india-women-reach-final-men-gear-up-for-title-defence
author: "Arpan Ghosh"
author_url: https://whatsthescore.in/author/arpan-ghosh
author_title: "Senior Cricket Analyst, Historian & Former Cricketer"
publisher: "What's The Score"
category: "Cricket"
type: news
published: 2026-09-20T17:29:00+05:30
updated: 2026-09-30T06:51:21+05:30
reading_time_minutes: 6
tags: ["Abhishek Sharma", "Aichi-Nagoya 2026", "Asian Games 2026", "Asian Games Cricket", "cricket news", "Harmanpreet Kaur", "India cricket", "India Men", "India vs Sri Lanka", "India Women", "Jasprit Bumrah", "Men’s Cricket", "Shafali Verma", "Shreyas Iyer", "Smriti Mandhana", "Team India", "Women’s Cricket"]
license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not."
canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-cricket-india-women-reach-final-men-gear-up-for-title-defence
---

# Asian Games 2026 Cricket: India Women Reach Final, Men Gear Up for Title Defence

*India's Asian Games 2026 cricket campaign is gathering pace in Japan. Harmanpreet Kaur's women beat Bangladesh by 114 runs to reach the gold-medal match against Sri Lanka, while Shreyas Iyer's men's team has direct entry into the quarter-finals and will begin its title defence on September 28.*

By Arpan Ghosh · 20 September 2026 · 6 min read

## Key takeaways

- India Women have qualified for the Asian Games 2026 gold-medal match.
- India Women beat Bangladesh by 114 runs in the September 20 semi-final. ICC Cricket
- Shafali Verma smashed her maiden T20I century, finishing 100 not out from 49 balls.
- India scored 195/4, before dismissing Bangladesh for 81 in 15.4 overs. ICC Cricket
- Deepti Sharma took 3/7, Nandni Sharma 3/25 and Sree Charani 2/7.
- Smriti Mandhana scored 37 off 19 and became the leading run-scorer in women's T20Is. ICC Cricket
- India Women will face Sri Lanka Women in the gold-medal match on September 22. ICC Cricket
- India Men have not yet started their Asian Games campaign.

India's cricket campaign at the **Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan**
is gathering momentum, with the women's team already securing a place in the
**gold-medal match** while the men's team prepares to begin its title defence.




As of **September 20, 2026**, Harmanpreet Kaur's India Women have reached
the final after defeating Bangladesh Women by 114 runs in the semi-final.
They will face **Sri Lanka Women on September 22** for the gold medal.




The Indian men's team, captained by **Shreyas Iyer**, has received a bye
into the knockout stage and will play its first Asian Games match in the
**quarter-final on September 28**.




## India Cricket at Asian Games 2026: Current Status





| Team | Captain | Current Status | Next Match |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| India Women | Harmanpreet Kaur | Qualified for Gold Medal Match | vs Sri Lanka Women - September 22 |
| India Men | Shreyas Iyer | Direct entry to Quarter-final | September 28 vs Group A runner-up |





## India Women Storm Into Asian Games 2026 Final




India Women booked their place in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final with a commanding
**114-run victory over Bangladesh Women** in Nisshin, Japan, on September 20.




India won the toss and elected to bat, with openers
**Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma** immediately putting Bangladesh
under pressure.




The pair helped India reach **72/1 in the powerplay**, providing the
platform for a huge total.




## Shafali Verma Smashes Maiden T20I Century




The star of India's semi-final victory was **Shafali Verma**.




The explosive opener reached her half-century in only **24 balls**
before completing her **maiden T20I century from 49 deliveries**.




Shafali finished unbeaten on **100**, with her century featuring
**three fours and nine sixes**.




Her innings powered India to **195/4 from 20 overs**.




## Smriti Mandhana Creates T20I History




The semi-final was also memorable for **Smriti Mandhana**.




Mandhana smashed **37 from only 19 balls** and, during the innings,
became the **leading run-scorer in women's T20 international cricket**.




The milestone added another major achievement to Mandhana's international career
during India's push for a second consecutive Asian Games cricket gold medal.




## Harmanpreet Kaur Helps India Reach 195




After Mandhana's dismissal, captain **Harmanpreet Kaur** joined Shafali
and ensured India maintained their momentum.




Shafali and Harmanpreet added **94 runs from 55 balls**, with the
Indian captain contributing **40 from 33 deliveries**.




India eventually finished on an imposing **195/4**.




## Indian Bowlers Dismantle Bangladesh




Bangladesh never seriously threatened India's total.




India reduced them to **39/3 by the end of the powerplay** before
continuing to take wickets throughout the innings.




Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for **81 in 15.4 overs**.





| India Bowler | Figures |
| --- | --- |
| Deepti Sharma | 3/7 |
| Nandni Sharma | 3/25 |
| Sree Charani | 2/7 |
| Kranti Gaud | 1 wicket |
| Shreyanka Patil | 1 wicket |





## India Women vs Sri Lanka Women for Asian Games Gold




India will now face **Sri Lanka Women in the gold-medal match on September 22**.




Sri Lanka secured their place in the final by defeating Pakistan in the other semi-final.
Captain **Chamari Athapaththu scored an unbeaten 83 from 50 balls** as
Sri Lanka successfully chased Pakistan's 177/4.




The final therefore brings together two of Asia's strongest women's cricket teams,
with India attempting to defend the gold medal they won at the previous Asian Games.




## India Women's Asian Games 2026 Results So Far





| Stage | Match | Result |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quarter-final | India Women vs Japan Women | India won by 8 wickets |
| Semi-final | India Women vs Bangladesh Women | India won by 114 runs |
| Gold Medal Match | India Women vs Sri Lanka Women | September 22, 2026 |





## India Women's Squad for Asian Games 2026




India are led by **Harmanpreet Kaur**, with Smriti Mandhana,
Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh among the major names in the squad.




    - Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain)

    - Smriti Mandhana

    - Shafali Verma

    - Pratika Rawal

    - Deepti Sharma

    - Richa Ghosh

    - G Kamalini

    - Bharti Fulmali

    - Sree Charani

    - Renuka Singh

    - Kranti Gaud

    - Arundhati Reddy

    - Shreyanka Patil

    - Radha Yadav

    - Nandni Sharma




## What Is India Men's Current Status at Asian Games 2026?




Unlike the women's competition, the **men's Asian Games cricket tournament
has not yet begun**.




The men's event starts on **September 24**, but India will not need
to compete in the preliminary group stage.




India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been given
**direct entry into the quarter-finals** based on their seeding.




India will therefore begin their Asian Games title defence on
**September 28**.




## Who Will India Men Face in the Quarter-final?




India's quarter-final opponent has not yet been decided.




India will face the **runner-up from Group A**.
Group A consists of **Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal**.




The three teams will play their preliminary matches between September 24 and
September 26, after which India's quarter-final opponent will be confirmed.




## Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Group A





| Team | Group |
| --- | --- |
| Afghanistan | Group A |
| Japan | Group A |
| Nepal | Group A |





The team finishing second in this group will meet India in the quarter-final.




## India Men's Squad for Asian Games 2026




**Shreyas Iyer** will captain India, while
**Tilak Varma** is vice-captain.




    - Shreyas Iyer (Captain)

    - Abhishek Sharma

    - Sanju Samson (WK)

    - Ishan Kishan (WK)

    - Shivam Dube

    - Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain)

    - Nitish Kumar Reddy

    - Axar Patel

    - Washington Sundar

    - Varun Chakaravarthy

    - Ravi Bishnoi

    - Jasprit Bumrah

    - Arshdeep Singh

    - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

    - Yash Thakur




**Yash Thakur replaced Harshit Rana** after Rana suffered a rectus
femoris strain during a match simulation on September 7.




## Abhishek Sharma Arrives in Japan in Record-Breaking Form




One of India's biggest players to watch will be **Abhishek Sharma**.




The explosive opener enters the Asian Games after a spectacular home T20I series
against Afghanistan, highlighted by his record-breaking
**30-ball century in Delhi**.




His powerplay aggression gives India a major attacking option at the top of the order
as they prepare for the knockout competition in Japan.




## Jasprit Bumrah Leads India's Pace Attack




India have also named **Jasprit Bumrah** in their Asian Games squad,
giving Shreyas Iyer an experienced leader for the pace attack.




Bumrah is joined by **Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur**, while Axar Patel,
Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi provide multiple spin options.




## Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Adds Youth to India's Squad




Teenage batter **Vaibhav Sooryavanshi** is another player who could attract
significant attention during the tournament.




His selection alongside established internationals such as Shreyas Iyer, Abhishek Sharma,
Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel highlights the combination of youth and
experience in India's squad.




## India Men's Asian Games 2026 Schedule





| Date | Stage | India's Match |
| --- | --- | --- |
| September 28 | Quarter-final | India vs Group A Runner-up |
| October 1 | Semi-final | If India qualify |
| October 3 | Gold/Bronze Medal Matches | If India qualify |





## India Defending Both Asian Games Cricket Gold Medals




India entered Aichi-Nagoya 2026 as the defending champions in
**both men's and women's cricket**.




The women's team defeated Sri Lanka in the previous Asian Games gold-medal match,
while the men's team claimed gold after their final against Afghanistan was washed out,
with India finishing ahead because of their higher tournament seeding.




India therefore have an opportunity in Japan to defend both cricket titles.




## India Cricket at Asian Games 2026: What Happens Next?




The immediate focus is on the women's gold-medal match.
**India Women face Sri Lanka Women on September 22** with the chance
to successfully defend their Asian Games title.




Attention will then move to the men's tournament. Preliminary matches begin on
September 24 before Shreyas Iyer's India enter the competition in the
**September 28 quarter-final**.




With Harmanpreet Kaur's team already guaranteed a medal and Shreyas Iyer's side
yet to begin its campaign, India's bid to defend both Asian Games cricket gold medals
remains alive.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the current status of India Women at Asian Games 2026?

India Women have reached the gold-medal match after defeating Bangladesh by 114 runs in the semi-final on September 20.

### Who will India Women face in the Asian Games 2026 cricket final?

India will face Sri Lanka Women on September 22, 2026. Sri Lanka reached the final after beating Pakistan in the other semi-final.

### When will India Men's cricket team play its first Asian Games 2026 match?

India's first match will be a quarter-final on September 28.

### Who will India Men face in the quarter-final?

India will play the runner-up of Group A, which contains Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal. The opponent will therefore be known after the preliminary group matches.

## Sources

- [ICC - Asian Games Cricket: All You Need to Know](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/asian-games-cricket-all-you-need-to-know)
- [ICC - India and Sri Lanka Set for Asian Games Women's Gold Clash](https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/india-sri-lanka-set-for-asian-games-women-s-gold-clash)
- [Olympics.com - Asian Games 2026 Cricket Scores and Results](https://www.olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-2026-cricket-matches-results-scores-medal-winners)
- [BCCI - Yash Thakur Replaces Harshit Rana for Afghanistan T20Is and Asian Games](https://www.bcci.tv/news/article/yash-thakur-replaces-harshit-rana-in-indias-t20is-squads-for-afghanistan-t20is-and-asian-games)
- [Aichi-Nagoya 2026 - Cricket Participating Countries and Matchups](https://www.aichi-nagoya2026.org/news-2021-2/)
- [ESPNcricinfo - India Women vs Bangladesh Women Asian Games Semi-Final Report](https://www.cricinfo.com/series/asian-games-women-s-cricket-competition-2026-1550472/bangladesh-women-vs-india-women-2nd-semi-final-1550479/match-report)

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Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-cricket-india-women-reach-final-men-gear-up-for-title-defence