Web Desk: The Asian Cricket Council has released the schedule for the men’s and women’s cricket tournaments at the upcoming Asian Games in Nagoya, with Pakistan and India placed on a collision course that could see the traditional rivals meet only in the final or bronze-medal playoff.
The cricket competitions will run from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3, with all matches to be played in the T20 format at Paloma Mizuho Stadium.
Women’s tournament to open on Sept. 17
Pakistan’s women will launch their Asian Games campaign against Thailand on Sept. 17, with the quarterfinal fixtures also including Bangladesh against China.
The remaining quarterfinal matches will take place on Sept. 18, when Sri Lanka face Malaysia and India meet Japan.
The tournament will then move into the knockout phase. The two semifinals are scheduled for Sept. 20, while the bronze-medal playoff and gold-medal final will take place on Sept. 22.
Pakistan will be seeking to improve on its performance at the previous Asian Games in China in 2023. Bangladesh defeated Pakistan in the bronze-medal match, while India secured the gold and Sri Lanka claimed silver.
Men’s competition begins with group stage
The men’s tournament will begin on Sept. 24 with the group phase featuring Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A, while Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Oman make up Group B.
Afghanistan will face Japan in the opening match, while Hong Kong, China will play Malaysia later that day.
The group matches will continue on Sept. 25 and 26 before the tournament moves into the quarterfinal stage.
Pakistan, India enter at quarterfinal stage
Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been seeded and will enter the men’s competition at the quarterfinal stage.
Pakistan will play its quarterfinal on Sept. 28 against the runner-up from Group B. India will also play on the same day, taking on the second-placed team from Group A.
Sri Lanka will face the Group A winner on Sept. 29, while Bangladesh will meet the Group B winner.
The semifinal matches are scheduled for Oct. 1, setting up the final medal contests two days later.
India-Pakistan meeting possible only in medal matches
Under the tournament draw, India and Pakistan cannot meet during the group or quarterfinal stages. Instead, the two sides can face each other only in the gold-medal final or the bronze-medal playoff, both scheduled for Oct. 3.
The arrangement could therefore produce another high-profile India-Pakistan encounter if both teams advance far enough in the competition.
India dominated previous edition
India won the men’s gold medal at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou after its final against Afghanistan ended without a result. India received the title because it entered the tournament as the higher-seeded side, while Afghanistan took silver.
Pakistan, meanwhile, missed out on a medal after Bangladesh defeated the team by six wickets in the bronze-medal playoff.
The women’s competition also ended with India taking gold. Sri Lanka finished runners-up, while Bangladesh won bronze after defeating Pakistan.
Asian Games cricket schedule
Men’s group stage
Sept. 24
Afghanistan vs Japan — 9 a.m.
Hong Kong, China vs Malaysia — 2 p.m.
Sept. 25
Hong Kong, China vs Oman — 9 a.m.
Afghanistan vs Nepal — 2 p.m.
Sept. 26
Japan vs Nepal — 9 a.m.
Malaysia vs Oman — 2 p.m.
Men’s quarterfinals — Sept. 28
Pakistan vs Group B runner-up — 9 a.m.
India vs Group A runner-up — 2 p.m.
Sept. 29
Sri Lanka vs Group A winner — 9 a.m.
Bangladesh vs Group B winner — 2 p.m.
Men’s semifinals — Oct. 1
Semifinal 1 — 9 a.m.
Semifinal 2 — 2 p.m.
Men’s medal matches — Oct. 3
Bronze-medal playoff — 9 a.m.
Gold-medal final — 2 p.m.
Women’s tournament
Sept. 17
Bangladesh vs China — 9 a.m.
Pakistan vs Thailand — 2 p.m.
Sept. 18
Sri Lanka vs Malaysia — 9 a.m.
India vs Japan — 2 p.m.
Sept. 20
Semifinal 1 — 9 a.m.
Semifinal 2 — 2 p.m.
Sept. 22
Bronze-medal playoff — 9 a.m.
Gold-medal final — 2 p.m.
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