Asian Games Cricket 2026: Schedule, Teams, Squads, Live Streaming & Results

The cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games will be held as part of the 20th Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan, from 17 September to 3 October 2026. Both men’s and women’s T20 International competitions will be played at the Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, marking cricket’s fourth appearance at the Asian Games and its first in Japan.

The 2026 edition carries added significance as cricket is making its return to the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028. The Asian Games tournament serves as a key continental qualifier, with performances here influencing Olympic qualification pathways. All matches hold full T20I status sanctioned by the ICC.

India enter both competitions as defending champions after winning gold in the men’s and women’s events at Hangzhou 2022 (played in 2023). The men’s tournament features 10 teams while the women’s competition comprises 8 teams.

Women’s Format: The women’s tournament is a straight knockout competition beginning with the quarter-finals on 17 September. The semi-finals take place on 20 September, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches on 22 September 2026. All eight teams enter at the quarter-final stage.

Both tournaments are played under T20 International rules with full ICC recognition. In case of rain, matches will be decided by the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method or, if no result is possible, by higher seeding — as happened in the Hangzhou 2022 men’s final.

Cricket has featured at the Asian Games on three previous occasions — Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2022 (played in 2023). India and Pakistan were the primary drivers behind cricket’s inclusion in the Games.

At Guangzhou 2010, Bangladesh won the men’s gold by defeating Afghanistan in the final, while Pakistan claimed the inaugural women’s title. India did not participate in either tournament. In Incheon 2014, Sri Lanka won men’s gold and Pakistan defended their women’s crown. India again sat out the competition.

Cricket returned at Hangzhou 2022 with full T20I status for the first time. India made their Asian Games debut and dominated, winning both men’s and women’s gold medals. The men’s final against Afghanistan was washed out, with India awarded gold based on higher seeding. The women’s team defeated Sri Lanka by 19 runs in the final. The 2026 edition marks cricket’s fourth appearance and first on Japanese soil.

India enter the 2026 Asian Games as the team to beat in both men’s and women’s competitions. The BCCI has named full-strength squads for both events, signalling serious intent to defend the historic double gold won at Hangzhou 2023.

The men’s squad is led by newly appointed T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The inclusion of Jasprit Bumrah — rested from the Ireland and England T20Is — strengthens the pace attack significantly. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest India squad member since Sachin Tendulkar, adds explosive batting potential after his blockbuster IPL 2026 season.

The women’s squad is captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, who recently led India to the 2025 ODI World Cup title. With Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain and a core of Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh, India possess arguably the strongest batting line-up in the women’s tournament. Shreyanka Patil’s participation depends on fitness after an ankle ligament injury.

The Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament carries profound importance beyond medals — it serves as a key continental qualifier for cricket’s return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028. After a 128-year absence, cricket will feature at the Olympics in the T20 format, and Asian Games performances will influence qualification pathways.

For nations like Japan, Nepal, Malaysia and Oman, the Asian Games represent a rare opportunity to compete against full ICC members in a multi-sport environment while building towards Olympic qualification. The exposure to high-pressure T20I cricket against the continent’s best will be invaluable for their development programmes.

The ICC and OCA have worked closely to ensure the tournament meets Olympic standards, with anti-doping protocols, broadcast quality and venue specifications all aligned with LA 2028 requirements.