PAK, IND, BAN, & SL Earn Direct Qualification into Asian Games 2026 Knockouts

NAGOYA: The race for cricket medals at the 2026 Asian Games has taken shape after tournament organisers unveiled the men's and women's draws, confirming that Pak, Ind, Ban, and SL earned Asian Games qualification directly into the men's knockout stage. 

Their higher rankings have earned them automatic quarter-final places, while six other teams must progress through the opening phase to stay in contention.

The battle for the remaining knockout spots will begin with preliminary group matches involving Afghanistan national cricket team, Hong Kong national cricket team, Japan national cricket team, Malaysia national cricket team, Nepal national cricket team and Oman national cricket team. 

Group A features Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal, while Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman have been drawn together in Group B. 

The top two teams from each pool will complete the quarter-final lineup, creating the Asian games 2026 knockout qualification bracket.

Women's Tournament Opens with Quarter-Finals

Unlike the men's event, the women's competition will begin directly with the quarter-final stage. India women's team will face Japan, Bangladesh meet China, Sri Lanka take on Malaysia, while Pakistan have been paired with Thailand.

The women's matches are scheduled from September 17 to 22, with the men's tournament following between September 24 and October 1. Every fixture across both competitions will be played in Nagoya using the T20 format.

India Return as Defending Champions

India will defend both cricket gold medals won at the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou. The men's title was decided after rain prevented a result in the final against Afghanistan, with India awarded the gold medal under the competition's seeding regulations.

The women's team also finished atop the podium in 2023 after defeating Sri Lanka in the final. The upcoming edition offers India the chance to retain both titles, while Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will look to challenge for the medals after receiving direct passage into the men's knockout phase.