Which team will India face in their first game of Asian Games 2026?
(Courtesy : Twitter)
India’s first match in Asian Games 2026 is scheduled for September 28.
The Asian Games 2026 are currently underway in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, with athletes from across Asia competing in several sports. Cricket will also be a major part of the event, with the men’s competition set to begin on September 24.
India will be one of the teams to watch in the men’s cricket competition. The Men in Blue are the defending gold-medal winners as they won the title at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
The men’s cricket competition will be played in the T20 format from September 24 to October 3. Ten teams are taking part, with India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka getting direct entry into the quarter-finals based on their ICC rankings.
This means India will not play in the group stage. The Shreyas Iyer-led side will begin their Asian Games 2026 campaign directly in the quarter-finals, with their first match scheduled for September 28.
The big question now is which team the Men in Blue will face in their opening game of the tournament.
Who will India face in their first game of Asian Games 2026?
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India’s first opponent at the Asian Games 2026 will be the team that finishes second in Group A. The group features Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal.
The three teams will play each other once between September 24 and 26. Afghanistan will face Japan first, followed by Afghanistan vs Nepal and Japan vs Nepal. The top two teams from the group will then move into the quarter-finals.
The Men in Blue will face the “second-placed team from Group A” in the second quarter-final on September 28. The match will be played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Group A matches before India’s first game
- September 24: Afghanistan vs Japan
- September 25: Afghanistan vs Nepal
- September 26: Japan vs Nepal
The results of these three matches will decide which team finishes second and play against India in the quarter-final.
Based on ICC rankings and recent form, Afghanistan and Nepal are the favourites to top their respective groups. If results go according to seeding, the Men in Blue could face either Afghanistan or Nepal in the quarter-finals on September 28
The Indian squad for the 2026 Asian Games is led by Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The squad also includes players like Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Axar Patel and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
When will India play their first match in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket?
The Men in Blue will play their first match on September 28 in the quarter-finals.
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