The Indian men's cricket team arrived in Nagoya on September 26 ahead of their Asian Games 2026 quarter-final clash against Afghanistan. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team is looking to defend the gold medal won at the previous edition in Hangzhou. The squad features several established international players, including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, and Jasprit Bumrah. Former India cricketer VVS Laxman is the head coach of the team for the Asian Games campaign.
India will face Afghanistan in the quarter-final on September 28, with the match scheduled to begin at 10:30 am IST. The team is entering the competition with the aim of retaining the gold medal they won in Hangzhou in 2023. On that occasion, India defeated Afghanistan for the gold after the final was washed out, with the higher-seeded Indian side awarded the title. The team was led by Ruturaj Gaikwad in the previous edition.
The men's cricket competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Games has entered the knockout stage following the completion of the first round. Afghanistan and Nepal qualified for the quarter-finals from Group A after Japan's match against Nepal was abandoned due to rain. Nepal topped the group, while Japan were eliminated from the competition. Nepal will face Sri Lanka in the other quarter-final from that group on September 29.
Group B comprises Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman, with the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals. The two qualifiers from the group will face Pakistan and Bangladesh in the last eight. India's women's cricket team have already completed a successful title defence at the Games, beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final under Harmanpreet Kaur to claim the country's first gold medal at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The Indian squad features several players with international experience, including Iyer, who has led Kolkata Knight Riders to an IPL title and captained Punjab Kings to the IPL final in 2025. Iyer will be aiming to add an Asian Games gold medal to his captaincy record as India begin their knockout campaign against Afghanistan. The team also includes Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar.
Former India cricketer VVS Laxman is the head coach of the team for the Asian Games campaign. Laxman will be looking to guide the team to success in the competition. The team's campaign will be closely watched by fans and cricket enthusiasts back in India.
India men's cricket team's performance in the Asian Games 2026 will be crucial in their pursuit of a second consecutive gold medal. With a strong squad and experienced coaching staff, the team is confident of making a good run in the competition. The team's quarter-final clash against Afghanistan will be a crucial test of their skills and strategy.
Key points
- India men's cricket team arrives in Nagoya for Asian Games 2026 quarterfinal against Afghanistan
- The team is looking to defend the gold medal won at the previous edition in Hangzhou
- The squad features several established international players, including Shreyas Iyer, Abhishek Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah
