Archive · 18 Sep 2026
India Begin Asian Games Title Defence Against Host Japan
India’s women’s cricket team is starting its Asian Games title defence.
They will play Japan in the quarterfinals on Friday.
India recently won the T20 Asia Cup for the eighth time.
That success has made India confident.
The Asian Games competition starts with knockout matches, so there are no group games first.
This means one loss will eliminate a team.
Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and Sree Charani are among India’s important players.
Japan will try to perform strongly because the matches are being held at home.
Defending champions India will face hosts Japan in the women’s quarterfinals on Friday.
India enter the Asian Games after winning their eighth T20 Asia Cup in Dubai.
The women’s competition has eight teams and begins directly with the quarterfinals.
Shafali Verma was the Asia Cup’s highest run-scorer and will be a key Indian batter.
Japan will seek to use home advantage against an India side regarded as the superior team.
- Who
- India and Japan’s women’s cricket teams.
- What
- A women’s Asian Games quarterfinal.
- When
- Friday.
- Where
- Nagoya, Japan.
- Why
- India are defending their Asian Games title, while Japan are competing on home soil.
- Match
- India versus Japan women’s quarterfinal
- Venue
- Nagoya, Japan
- Competition format
- Eight teams; the event begins directly with the quarterfinals
- India’s recent result
- Eighth T20 Asia Cup title, won in Dubai
- Key Indian batter
- Shafali Verma, the Asia Cup’s highest run-scorer
- Key Indian bowler
- Sree Charani reached 50 T20I wickets in her 30th appearance
- India captain
- Harmanpreet Kaur