Asian Games 2026: Cricket is set to return to the Asian Games for the fourth time, with the official schedule and tournament draw for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games now confirmed. Defending champions India will compete in both the men's and women's events, but fans hoping for an early India-Pakistan clash may have to wait. Here's why the two rivals can only meet under specific circumstances.

Cricket Returns to the Asian Games

After its successful inclusion at Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2023, cricket will once again feature in the Asian Games.

Both the men's and women's competitions will be played in the T20 International (T20I) format, with every match carrying official international status.

Tournament Schedule

Women's Cricket Tournament

• September 17 to September 22, 2026

Men's Cricket Tournament

• September 24 to October 1, 2026

India enters the competition as the defending champion in both categories after winning gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games.

Why India and Pakistan Won't Meet Early

The official tournament draw has placed India and Pakistan in opposite halves of the men's competition.

As a result:

• The two teams cannot meet before the semifinals.
• An India-Pakistan match will only take place if both teams qualify for the semifinals or the final.

This means fans will not see the traditional rivalry during the group stage or quarterfinals.

Top Four Teams Receive Direct Quarterfinal Berths

Based on their rankings, four teams have been seeded directly into the men's quarterfinals:

• India
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh

These teams will skip the preliminary round and begin their campaigns directly from the knockout stage.

Men's Preliminary Round Groups

The remaining teams will battle for the final four quarterfinal spots.

Group A

• Afghanistan
• Japan
• Nepal

Group B

• Hong Kong, China
• Malaysia
• Oman

The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals.

India Women's Team Begins Title Defence

The Indian women's team has also received a direct place in the quarterfinals as one of the seeded teams.

Quarterfinal Match

India vs Japan

If India defeats Japan, it will face the winner of:

Bangladesh vs China in the semifinal.

Women's Quarterfinal Draw

The official women's knockout fixtures are:

Can India and Pakistan Meet in the Women's Event?

Yes, but only under one condition.

Since India and Pakistan have been placed in opposite halves of the draw, they can meet only in the final.

For that to happen:

• India must win all of its matches and reach the championship match.
• Pakistan must also remain unbeaten and qualify for the final.

If either team is eliminated before the title clash, an India-Pakistan match will not take place.

What This Means for Fans

The tournament draw has significantly reduced the possibility of an early India-Pakistan encounter.

In the:

• Men's competition: The rivals can meet only if both qualify for the semifinals or final.
• Women's competition: The teams can face each other only in the final.

As a result, fans hoping for one of cricket's biggest rivalries will have to wait until the knockout stages.

Key Highlights

• Cricket returns to the Asian Games for the fourth time.
• All matches will be played in the T20 International format.
• Women's tournament: September 17–22, 2026.
• Men's tournament: September 24–October 1, 2026.
• India is the defending champion in both men's and women's cricket.
• India and Pakistan have been placed in opposite halves of both draws.
• The men's teams can meet only in the semifinals or final.
• The women's teams can meet only in the final.

Tournament Outlook

With defending champions India aiming to retain both gold medals, expectations will be high for another successful campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. While the tournament draw has delayed the possibility of an India-Pakistan showdown, the rivalry could still take center stage if both nations progress deep into their respective competitions.

For cricket fans across Asia, the knockout rounds could deliver some of the most anticipated matches of the Games.

Disclaimer: Tournament fixtures and schedules are based on the officially announced draw. Any future changes by the organizing committee or the Asian Cricket Council will supersede the information provided above.