---
title: "Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Schedule: Fixtures, Teams, Groups, India Matches, Venue & Medal Dates"
url: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-men-s-cricket-schedule-fixtures-teams-groups-india-matches-venue-medal-dates
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: 2026-09-08T18:35:00+05:30
updated: 2026-09-30T06:51:22+05:30
reading_time_minutes: 5
tags: ["Aichi-Nagoya 2026", "Asian Games 2026", "Asian Games Cricket", "Asian Games Cricket Schedule", "Asian Games Fixtures", "cricket news", "Cricket Schedule 2026", "India Asian Games", "India cricket", "India Cricket Schedule", "Japan Cricket", "T20 Cricket"]
license: "Quotation with attribution and a link is permitted. Full reproduction is not."
canonical: https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-men-s-cricket-schedule-fixtures-teams-groups-india-matches-venue-medal-dates
---

# Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Schedule: Fixtures, Teams, Groups, India Matches, Venue & Medal Dates

*The Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket tournament will run from September 24 to October 3 in Japan. Check the full schedule, teams, groups, India fixtures, knockout format, venue, semi-finals and gold medal match details.*

By Arpan Ghosh · 8 September 2026 · 5 min read

## Key takeaways

- The Asian Games 2026 men's cricket tournament runs from September 24 to October 3, 2026.
- 10 teams are scheduled to participate.
- India are the defending men's cricket gold medallists.
- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh enter directly in the quarter-finals.
- Afghanistan, Nepal and Japan form one preliminary group, with Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman in the other.
- India are scheduled to play their quarter-final on September 28.
- The semi-finals take place on October 1.
- The bronze and gold medal matches are scheduled for October 3.

The **Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket competition** is set to bring some of Asia’s leading cricket nations together in Japan, with the T20 tournament scheduled from **September 24 to October 3, 2026**.




The competition will be staged at **Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture**, with India entering the tournament as the defending men's cricket champions after winning gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games.




The 2026 tournament features **10 teams**, including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong China, Malaysia, Oman and hosts Japan.




India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have received direct entry into the quarter-finals, while the remaining six teams will compete in the preliminary group stage for the four remaining knockout places.




## Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket: Key Details





| Detail | Information |
| --- | --- |
| Tournament | Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket |
| Edition | 20th Asian Games |
| Format | T20 |
| Host | Japan |
| Cricket Venue | Korogi Athletic Park, Nisshin, Aichi |
| Men's Cricket Start Date | September 24, 2026 |
| Gold Medal Match | October 3, 2026 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Format Structure | Group Stage → Quarter-finals → Semi-finals → Medal Matches |
| Defending Champion | India |





## Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Teams



The 10 teams participating in the men's cricket competition are:




    - India

    - Pakistan

    - Sri Lanka

    - Bangladesh

    - Afghanistan

    - Nepal

    - Hong Kong China

    - Malaysia

    - Oman

    - Japan




Four teams — **India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh** — enter directly at the quarter-final stage.




## Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Groups




The other six teams have been divided into two preliminary groups. The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals.





| Group A | Group B |
| --- | --- |
| Afghanistan | Hong Kong China |
| Japan | Malaysia |
| Nepal | Oman |





## Asian Games 2026 Men’s Cricket Full Schedule





| Date | Match | Stage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| September 24 | Afghanistan vs Japan | Group Stage |
| September 24 | Hong Kong China vs Malaysia | Group Stage |
| September 25 | Hong Kong China vs Oman | Group Stage |
| September 25 | Afghanistan vs Nepal | Group Stage |
| September 26 | Japan vs Nepal | Group Stage |
| September 26 | Malaysia vs Oman | Group Stage |
| September 28 | Pakistan vs Group B Runner-up | Quarter-final |
| September 28 | India vs Group A Runner-up | Quarter-final |
| September 29 | Sri Lanka vs Group A Winner | Quarter-final |
| September 29 | Bangladesh vs Group B Winner | Quarter-final |
| October 1 | Semi-final 1 | Semi-final |
| October 1 | Semi-final 2 | Semi-final |
| October 3 | Bronze Medal Match | Medal Match |
| October 3 | Gold Medal Match | Final |





## India’s Asian Games 2026 Cricket Schedule




As one of the four seeded teams, **India will not participate in the preliminary group stage**. The defending champions will enter directly in the knockout phase.




India's quarter-final is scheduled for **September 28**, where they will face the runner-up from Group A.




A victory would send India into the semi-finals on October 1, with the men's cricket medal matches scheduled for October 3.





| Date | India Match | Stage |
| --- | --- | --- |
| September 28 | India vs Group A Runner-up | Quarter-final |
| October 1 | Potential India Match | Semi-final |
| October 3 | Potential India Match | Bronze/Gold Medal Match |





## India Enter as Defending Asian Games Champions




India arrive in Japan as the defending men's cricket gold medallists following their success at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.




Cricket at the Asian Games is particularly significant because teams are competing not simply for another bilateral or tournament trophy, but for medals representing their respective countries.




India will therefore be attempting to defend their title and win a second consecutive Asian Games men's cricket gold medal.




## Asian Games 2026 Cricket Venue




The men's cricket competition will be staged at **Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan**.




The venue has been prepared for T20 cricket as part of the sporting infrastructure for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.




Both the men's and women's cricket competitions are scheduled at the venue.




## Afghanistan, Nepal and Japan in Group A




Group A should provide an interesting contest, with **Afghanistan, Nepal and hosts Japan** competing for two quarter-final positions.




Afghanistan and Nepal bring considerable T20 experience, while Japan will have the advantage of playing the competition on home soil.




The group begins with Afghanistan facing Japan on September 24.




## Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman in Group B




Group B features **Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman**.




All three teams will be targeting one of the two available quarter-final positions, making every preliminary match important.




Hong Kong China and Malaysia open the Group B campaign on September 24.




## How Does Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Qualification Work?



The qualification structure is relatively straightforward.




**Group Stage → Quarter-finals → Semi-finals → Bronze/Gold Medal Matches**




Six teams participate in the preliminary stage, divided into two groups of three.




The top two teams from each group advance, creating four qualifiers.




Those four teams then join **India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka** in the quarter-finals.




The quarter-final winners progress to the semi-finals, while the semi-final winners contest the gold medal match.




The losing semi-finalists meet in the bronze medal match.




## Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Medal Matches




The men's cricket medals will be decided on **October 3, 2026**.




The bronze-medal contest will be played first, followed by the **Asian Games men's cricket gold-medal match**.




That final will determine which country succeeds India — or whether India successfully defend their Asian Games cricket crown.




## Why Asian Games 2026 Cricket Matters




Cricket's inclusion in the Asian Games provides an important opportunity for the sport to reach audiences beyond its traditional strongholds.




Hosting the competition in Japan is particularly significant as cricket continues attempting to expand its presence in East Asia.




For emerging teams, the Asian Games also offers valuable exposure against established Asian cricket nations.




For India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, meanwhile, the tournament offers the opportunity to add an Asian Games medal to their international achievements.




## Road to the Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket Gold Medal




The journey begins on September 24 with the preliminary stage and concludes on October 3 with the gold-medal match.




India enter as defending champions, but Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are among the teams capable of challenging for medals.




The short T20 format also increases the possibility of surprises, particularly once the tournament reaches the knockout rounds.




With national pride and an Asian Games gold medal at stake, the men's cricket tournament should be one of the most closely followed team events at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

## Frequently asked questions

### When will the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket tournament start?

The men's cricket competition is scheduled to begin on September 24, 2026.

### When is the Asian Games 2026 men's cricket final?

The gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3, 2026 at Korogi Athletic Park.

### Where will Asian Games 2026 cricket be played?

Cricket will be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The official Games venue list designates it as the T20 cricket venue.

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

Under the fixture listing used above, India are scheduled to face the runner-up from Group A.

### Who are the defending champions?

India are the defending Asian Games men's cricket champions after winning gold at Hangzhou 2023.

## Sources

- [ESPNcricinfo - Asian Games Men's Cricket Competition 2026](https://www.cricinfo.com/series/asian-games-men-s-cricket-competition-2026-1552449/match-schedule-fixtures-and-results)
- [Aichi-Nagoya 2026 - Official Competition Venues](https://old.aichi-nagoya2026.org/en/tournament/competition/)
- [Japan Cricket Association - Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Cricket](https://www.cricket.or.jp/en/events/20th-asia-games-aichi-nagoya-2026-ckt21-final)

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Originally published by What's The Score at https://whatsthescore.in/blog/asian-games-2026-men-s-cricket-schedule-fixtures-teams-groups-india-matches-venue-medal-dates