India to face Afghanistan in Asian Games cricket quarter-final

India will face Afghanistan in the Asian Games men's cricket quarter-final on September 28 after Nepal secured first place in Pool A. Japan was eliminated following a rain-affected washout that prevented their chase against Nepal, who scored 149 for four.

Quick Facts

Asian Games 2026 men's cricket quarter-final
Rain-affected washout between Nepal and Japan
Nepal posted 149 for four in 15 overs
Japan's chase never began due to rain
Pool A final standings determined

India will defend its Asian Games men's cricket title against Afghanistan in the quarter-finals on September 28 at Nisshin. The matchup was confirmed after Nepal topped Pool A following a rain-affected washout against Japan on September 25.

Nepal posted 149 for four in 15 overs after being put into bat, with Sundeep Jora scoring 57 not out off 32 balls and Lokesh Bam adding an unbeaten 52 off 22 balls. The pair's aggressive finishing, which included eleven sixes between them, propelled Nepal from 84 for four at the midway point. Earlier, Aasif Sheikh contributed 21 runs. Japan's chase never began due to persistent rain, resulting in a no-result and eliminating the host nation from the tournament.

Nepal advanced as Pool A winners with three points, while Afghanistan qualified as the second-ranked team. Japan's campaign ended with a single point from the washout. India, along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, had been seeded directly into the quarter-finals, making this their first tournament match. Nepal will face Sri Lanka in a separate quarter-final on September 29.

The India-Afghanistan quarter-final represents a repeat of the 2023 Asian Games final in Hangzhou. India comes into the knockout stage as the defending gold-medal holders, while Afghanistan aims to upset the title holders. The match will be played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.

Topics

Sports

#cricket #Afghanistan #rain washout #Japan #Nepal #men's cricket #quarter-final #Asian Games 2026 #India

Entities

Why This Matters

India enters the knockout stage as the defending Asian Games gold medalist in men's cricket; the quarter-final fixture on September 28 determines progression to the semi-finals. Nepal's rain-affected washout against Japan on September 25 sealed Pool A standings—Nepal advanced as group winner, Afghanistan qualified as runner-up, and Japan was eliminated with a single point. The tournament structure confirms India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh proceeded directly to quarter-finals, making this India's and Afghanistan's first competitive matches in the event.

Timeline & Sources

Sep 25, 2026

Wire

Nepal defeats Afghanistan by 5 wickets in Pool A

Sep 25, 2026

Wire

Japan loses toss to Nepal; rain delays start of match

Sep 28, 2026

Wire

India vs Afghanistan quarter-final scheduled

Sep 29, 2026

Wire

Nepal vs Sri Lanka quarter-final scheduled