Cricket will return to the Asian Games for the fourth time when the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games are held in Japan, with both men's and women's competitions being played in the T20 format.
The women's tournament will run from September 17 to 22, while the men's competition will take place from September 24 to October 3.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Teams
Men's teams
Ten teams will compete in the men's tournament:
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman.
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been seeded directly into the quarter-finals. Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal are in Group A, while Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman make up Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
Women's teams
Eight teams will compete
in the women's tournament:
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Japan, China, Malaysia and Thailand.
Unlike the men's event, the women's competition starts directly with the quarter-finals.
Women's Cricket Schedule
| Date | Fixture | Round |
|---|---|---|
| September 17 | India vs Japan | Quarter-final |
| September 1 | Bangladesh vs China | Quarter-final |
| September 18 | Sri Lanka vs Malaysia | Quarter-final |
| September 18 | Pakistan vs Thailand | Quarter-final |
| September 20 | Semi-final 1 | Semi-final |
| September 20 | Semi-final 2 | Semi-final |
| September 22 | Bronze-medal match | Medal match |
| September 22 | Gold-medal match | Medal match |
India will face Japan in the opening quarter-final, with the winner taking on either Bangladesh or China in the semi-final. Pakistan's route goes through Thailand before a potential semi-final against Sri Lanka or Malaysia.
Men's Cricket Schedule
The men's preliminary phase begins on September 24, with Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A and Hong Kong China, Malaysia and Oman in Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
| Date | Fixture | Round |
|---|---|---|
| September 24-26 | Group A and Group B matches | Preliminary round |
| September 28 | India vs Group B runners-up | Quarter-final |
| September 28 | Pakistan vs Group A runners-up | Quarter-final |
| September 29 | Sri Lanka vs Group B winners | Quarter-final |
| September 29 | Bangladesh vs Group A winners | 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 | Medal match |
The men's draw keeps India and Pakistan apart until the medal stage. India's quarter-final is against the Group B runners-up, while Pakistan face the Group A runners-up. Their respective paths mean the two rivals can meet only in the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off.
Asian Games 2026 Venue
All cricket matches at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture. The cricket competitions will use the T20 format.
India enter the Games as defending champions in both men's and women's cricket after winning both gold medals at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
