A marquee India vs Pakistan clash at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games is expected to carry more than usual significance, as according to the draws, the arch-rivals can only face each other in medal rounds, with more fierce competition expected across the men’s and women’s events.
India and Pakistan, the top two seeded teams in the men’s competition, could avoid each other throughout the tournament. If they do meet, it can only be in the gold-medal game or the bronze-medal play-off.
The same draw pattern applies to the women’s event as well.
The Asian Games will take place from Saturday, September 19 to October 4, with the cricket competition running from September 17 to October 3. The women’s games will be played first, culminating in the final
on September 22, before the men’s event takes over.
The men’s competition features 10 teams, while eight teams will compete in the women’s event.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been seeded into the men’s quarterfinals, while the remaining six teams, including Afghanistan, will compete in the group stage for a place in the last eight.
India are in Quarterfinal 2 and will play on September 28, while Pakistan will feature in Quarterfinal 1 on the same day. Both teams will face opponents who advance from the group stage.
The semifinal draw means the winners of Quarterfinal 2, where India are likely to win, will face the winners of Quarterfinal 3. Meanwhile, the winners of Quarterfinal 1, with Pakistan expected to be involved, will meet the winners of Quarterfinal 4.
Both semifinals are scheduled for October 1.
This means the traditional rivals can meet only in the gold-medal game or the bronze-medal play-off, with both fixtures scheduled for Saturday, October 3. Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia and Oman will compete in the group stage.
In the women’s competition, top seeds India are all set to face Japan in the quarterfinals. Pakistan are seeded fourth, behind Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. If India advance to the semifinals, they will face either Bangladesh or Hong Kong, China.
Pakistan, meanwhile, will face Thailand in the quarterfinals, with a potential semifinal against either Sri Lanka or Malaysia if they advance. As a result, India and Pakistan can meet only in the final or the bronze-medal play-off, both scheduled for September 22.
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178670506432838298.webp)
