Cricket at Asian Games 2026: Schedule, Format and All You Need to Know

The highly anticipated cricket tournaments at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, are officially set to enthrall fans later this year, with a comprehensive schedule and format confirmed. Both men's and women's competitions will be played in the T20 International format at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, promising a fortnight of intense cricketing action. India Squad for Asian Games 2026: Shreyas Iyer to Lead, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Included.

The overall Asian Games run from September 19 to October 4, 2026, but cricket will kick off earlier, with the women's tournament scheduled from September 17 to 22, 2026, followed by the men's event from September 24 to October 3, 2026. This marks cricket's fourth appearance at the quadrennial multi-sport event, and India enters as the defending champions in both categories, having clinched gold at Hangzhou 2023.

Tournament Format

Both men's and women's events will adhere to the fast-paced T20 format. The women's tournament will feature eight teams, commencing directly from the quarter-final stage in a knockout format. The men's competition will see ten teams participate, with a slightly varied structure. The top four seeded nations will receive automatic byes into the quarter-finals, while the remaining six teams will be divided into two groups of three for preliminary round matches. The top two teams from each of these groups will then advance to complete the quarter-final lineup.

All matchdays are slated for double-headers, with morning games beginning at 9:00 AM local Japan time (5:30 AM IST) and afternoon matches commencing at 2:00 PM Japan time (10:30 AM IST).

Participating Teams

The men's tournament will showcase 10 nations. Full Member ICC nations from Asia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka – have secured direct entry, alongside host nation Japan. They will be joined by four teams who successfully navigated the recent qualifiers in Singapore: Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Oman. Asian Games 2026: Nepal, Malaysia, Oman and Hong Kong, China Seal Men's Cricket Qualification

Men's Qualified Teams

• Afghanistan
• Bangladesh
• India
• Japan (Hosts)
• Malaysia
• Nepal
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Hong Kong
• Sri Lanka

For the women's event, eight teams will compete. Automatic qualification was granted to Full Member ICC nations Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, in addition to hosts Japan. The remaining three spots were decided via qualifiers held in Malaysia from May 26 to 31, 2026: Thailand, Malaysia, and China.

Women's Qualified Teams (Confirmed)

• Bangladesh
• China
• India
• Japan (Hosts)
• Malaysia
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand

Where to Watch

Cricket fans in India and the wider Indian subcontinent can catch all the action live. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has secured exclusive broadcast rights for the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026. Matches will be telecast across Sony Sports Network channels and streamed live on the Sony LIV platform.

“The inclusion of cricket and mixed martial arts adds significant value to the Asian Games,” stated Husain Al Musallam, Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), highlighting the popularity of the sport, particularly with its upcoming inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The return of cricket is expected to be a major draw, especially for Indian audiences, as the nation looks to build on its historic medal tally from the previous games.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2026 02:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).