2 weeks ago
India-Pakistan medal-only clash set at 2026 Nagoya Asian Games
The Asian Games are coming to Nagoya, Japan, in 2026.
Cricket is one of the sports at the Games.
The teams from India and Pakistan are big rivals, and fans love watching them play each other.
But this time, the draw keeps them apart in the early rounds.
Both teams skip the group stage and start in the quarterfinals.
They are placed on opposite sides of the bracket, so they cannot meet in the semifinals.
They could only play each other if both teams reach a medal round.
That means a gold-medal match or a bronze-medal game.
The men's medal matches are on October 3, and the women's medal matches are on September 22.
India and Pakistan have been placed on opposite sides of the cricket draw at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, so they cannot meet in the early rounds.
Both men's teams, along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, are seeded directly into the quarterfinals, with India in quarterfinal 2 and Pakistan in quarterfinal 1, both scheduled for September 28.
A men's India-Pakistan clash is possible only in the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off, both scheduled for October 3.
The women's draw follows the same pattern: India (top seed) faces Japan and Pakistan (fourth seed) faces Thailand in the quarterfinals, with a meeting possible only in the final or bronze play-off on September 22.
Cricket runs from September 17 to October 3 at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya, with Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia and Oman contesting the group stage.
- Who
- India and Pakistan's men's and women's cricket teams, both seeded directly into the quarterfinals at the 2026 Asian Games.
- What
- The tournament draw placed the arch-rivals on opposite sides of the knockout bracket, so they can only meet in a gold-medal match or bronze-medal play-off.
- Where
- Nagoya, Japan, at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
- When
- Cricket takes place from September 17 to October 3, 2026, during the Asian Games held September 19 to October 4.
- Why
- The draw separated India and Pakistan in the quarterfinal and semifinal seeding, unlike other ICC or ACC events where they are often placed together.
Key facts
- Tournament
- 2026 Asian Games
- Host city
- Nagoya, Japan
- Games dates
- September 19 - October 4, 2026
- Cricket schedule
- September 17 - October 3, 2026
- Venue
- Paloma Mizuho Stadium
- Women's medal matches
- September 22
- Men's medal matches
- October 3
- Teams per division
- 10
Sources
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