An India vs Pakistan match at the 2026 Asian Games can only happen in the semi-finals or the gold medal match. The two teams were placed in opposite halves of both the men's and women's events in the draw for the event, and they cannot face each other in the group stage or the quarter-finals.
Notably, the Asian Games will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 17 to October 4. The men's competition features 10 teams, while the women's event has eight teams, with both tournaments played in the T20 format. Fans will be hoping for a clash between India and Pakistan in the events.
India vs Pakistan at Asian Games 2026: India Men and Pakistan Men in Opposite Halves
The men's tournament will begin on September 24, with the quarter-finals scheduled for September 28 and 29. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, the top four Asian teams in the T20I rankings, have received direct entry into the quarter-finals.
The remaining six teams have been split into two preliminary groups. Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal are in Group A, while Hong Kong China, Malaysia, and Oman are in Group B. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.
India, led by Shreyas Iyer, and Pakistan, captained by Sahibzada Farhan, are in opposite halves of the knockout bracket. They can only meet in the semi-finals or the final if both teams continue their winning run.
India Women and Pakistan Women Can Only Meet in the Final
India Women will begin their title defense against Japan in the quarter-finals. If Harmanpreet Kaur and her team win that match, they will face either Bangladesh or China in the semi-finals.
Pakistan Women will start their campaign against Thailand in the quarter-finals. A victory will send them into the semi-finals, where they will meet either Sri Lanka or Malaysia for a place in the final.
It's worth mentioning that India Women and Pakistan Women cannot meet before the final. Both sides must win their quarter-final and semi-final matches to set up a gold medal clash.
India Aim to Defend Both Gold Medals
India will travel to Japan as the defending champions in both the men's and women's cricket events after winning gold medals at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.
The men's team claimed the title after the rain-hit final against Afghanistan was abandoned. India were awarded the gold medal because they were the higher-seeded team in the tournament.
The women's team also enjoyed a memorable campaign in Hangzhou. Harmanpreet Kaur led India to a 19-run victory over Sri Lanka in the final after defending a modest total of 116. Fast bowler Titas Sadhu produced a match-winning spell of 3/6 in four overs and played a key role in India's triumph.
India will now aim to retain both titles at the 2026 Asian Games before cricket returns to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. The tournament is expected to attract plenty of attention, and an India-Pakistan clash in the semi-finals or the gold medal match would be one of the biggest matches.
