India, Pakistan to Skip Preliminary Stage in 2026 Asian Games Cricket Draw
Both men's and women's teams from India and Pakistan have been seeded directly into the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Games cricket tournament.
The official draw for the cricket events at the 2026 Asian Games, set to take place in Nagoya, Japan, has been announced. In the women's competition, all four quarterfinal matchups are set, with India facing hosts Japan, Bangladesh taking on China, Sri Lanka meeting Malaysia, and Pakistan squaring off against Thailand. The winners of these matches will advance to the semifinals, setting up a potential India-Pakistan gold medal clash.
For the men's event, six nations will compete in a preliminary round to determine four quarterfinal spots. Groups A and B feature Afghanistan, Japan, and Nepal, and Hong Kong China, Malaysia, and Oman, respectively. The top two from each group will join India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh in the quarterfinals. Notably, Afghanistan—the only other Test-playing nation—must navigate the preliminary stage, while the other four Test sides receive direct entry.