Asian Games 2026, men's cricket: India full schedule and live match timings

The organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have unveiled the cricket schedule for the 2026 edition, with the men's competition set to take place from September 24 to October 3.

Although the Asian Games officially begin on September 19 and conclude on October 4, cricket action will extend beyond the opening ceremony, with the women's tournament commencing on September 17 and the men's event getting underway a week later.

 

T20 format returns

 

The men's cricket competition will once again be played in the T20 format and staged at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.

 

A total of 10 teams are expected to compete for the medals. The tournament will begin with a preliminary phase before moving into the knockout rounds.

 

Likely tournament format

 

While the final draw is yet to be confirmed, the competition is expected to follow a structure similar to the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.

 

Under that format, the top four seeded teams receive direct entry into the quarter-finals, while the remaining six nations compete in preliminary group-stage matches to determine the other four quarter-finalists.

 

Official confirmation of the tournament format and participating teams is expected closer to the event.

 

Qualification yet to be confirmed

 

The list of participating teams has not yet been announced, although qualification is expected to be determined through the latest international rankings. 

 

India eye another golden campaign

 

Cricket will make its fourth appearance at the Asian Games after previous editions in Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014 and Hangzhou 2023.

 

At the 2023 Games, India enjoyed a memorable campaign by clinching gold medals in both the men's and women's tournaments. Afghanistan finished with silver in the men's event, while Bangladesh secured bronze. 

Men’s cricket schedule at Asian Games 2026
Date	Match	Time (IST)	Time (GMT)
September 24, Thursday	Preliminary qualifier 1	05:30:00	00:00:00
September 24, Thursday	Preliminary qualifier 2	10:30:00	05:00:00
September 25, Friday	Preliminary qualifier 3	05:30:00	00:00:00
September 25, Friday	Preliminary qualifier 4	10:30:00	05:00:00
September 26, Saturday	Preliminary qualifier 5	05:30:00	00:00:00
September 26, Saturday	Preliminary qualifier 6	10:30:00	05:00:00
September 28, Monday	Quarter-final 1	05:30:00	00:00:00
September 28, Monday	Quarter-final 2	10:30:00	05:00:00
September 29, Tuesday	Quarter-final 3	05:30:00	00:00:00
September 29, Tuesday	Quarter-final 4	10:30:00	05:00:00
October 1, Thursday	Semi-final 1	05:30:00	00:00:00
October 1, Thursday	Semi-final 2	10:30:00	05:00:00
October 3, Saturday	Bronze medal match (3rd place playoff)	05:30:00	00:00:00
October 3, Saturday	Gold medal match (final)	10:30:00	05:00:00

  Asian Games 2026 men's cricket: Live streaming and telecast details

 

When will India's men's cricket team begin its Asian Games 2026 campaign?

If India receive a top-four seeding, they are expected to begin their campaign directly from the quarter-finals on September 28, 2026. The official draw and fixtures are yet to be confirmed.

 

Why could India get direct entry into the quarter-finals?

If the tournament follows the same format as the 2023 Asian Games, the top four seeded teams based on the relevant rankings will qualify directly for the quarter-finals, while the remaining teams will play preliminary matches.

 

What are the match timings for the Asian Games 2026 cricket tournament? 

Each matchday is expected to feature two games:

 

Morning match: 9:00 AM JST (5:30 AM IST)

Afternoon match: 2:00 PM JST (10:30 AM IST)

 

India's exact match timing will be confirmed once the fixtures are released.

 

Which TV channels will telecast India's Asian Games 2026 cricket matches?

The official television broadcaster for the Asian Games 2026 will be the Sony Sports network.

 

Where can fans watch the live streaming of India's Asian Games 2026 cricket matches?

The official streaming platform for the Asian Games 2026 is SonyLIV with the app and website streaming the tournament in India.