🟢 Confirmed Official draw, schedule, squads, venues 🟡 Expected Possible matchup scenarios 🔵 Prediction Editorial projections, not fact
Can India Face Pakistan at Asian Games 2026? 🟢 Confirmed
Yes — but not before the semi-finals. When the official Asian Games 2026 cricket draw was announced, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh all received direct seeded entry into the quarter-finals based on ICC Men's T20I rankings, bypassing the six-team preliminary group stage entirely. Crucially, the draw structure places India and Pakistan on opposite halves of the knockout bracket, which means the two countries cannot meet in the quarter-finals — the earliest possible meeting is the semi-final, with the gold medal match on 3 October the other possible stage.
In practical terms: both India and Pakistan would need to win their respective quarter-final to reach the semis, and both would need to win their semi-final to set up a gold medal match meeting — or both lose their semi-finals to potentially meet in a bronze-medal playoff, depending on the tournament's medal-match format.
India vs Pakistan Cricket at Asian Games 2026
The draw 🟢 Confirmed
The men's cricket draw was announced in July 2026. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were seeded directly into the quarter-finals. The remaining six teams — Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A, and Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman in Group B — play a preliminary round-robin from 24-26 September, with the top two from each group advancing to join the four seeds in the last eight.
When can India play Pakistan? 🟡 Expected
Based on the confirmed bracket structure, an India vs Pakistan match can only take place once both sides have progressed through the quarter-finals — meaning the semi-finals or the gold medal match, both played in the tournament's closing days around 1-3 October 2026.
Can India and Pakistan meet in the final? 🟡 Expected
Yes — this is the standout scenario every fan is watching for. If both India and Pakistan win their respective semi-finals, they would meet in the gold medal match on 3 October at Korogi Athletic Park, Aichi Prefecture — arguably the single biggest possible India-Pakistan cricket occasion of 2026 outside a full ICC tournament.
Can India and Pakistan meet in the bronze-medal match? 🟡 Expected
If both teams lose their semi-finals, a bronze-medal playoff (where the tournament format includes one) would be the alternative stage where India and Pakistan could still meet — a lower-profile but still highly watched scenario given the rivalry.
India vs Pakistan cricket schedule at Asian Games 2026 🟢 Confirmed dates, 🟡 match not yet possible
| Stage | Date | Match | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quarter-final | Late Sep 2026 | India vs TBC | Korogi Athletic Park | 🟡 Not yet played |
| Quarter-final | Late Sep 2026 | Pakistan vs TBC | Korogi Athletic Park | 🟡 Not yet played |
| Semi-final | ~1-2 Oct 2026 | India vs Pakistan (if both progress) | Korogi Athletic Park | 🟡 Possible |
| Gold medal match | 3 Oct 2026 | India vs Pakistan (if both progress) | Korogi Athletic Park | 🟡 Possible |
We will not publish an invented India-Pakistan date before one is officially confirmed. This table will update as the quarter-final and semi-final results come in — check back or visit our Asian Games 2026 event hub for the latest.
India vs Pakistan cricket squads 🟢 Confirmed
Both boards named their full 15-member squads in June 2026 — and both delivered major headlines through who was left out as much as who made the cut.
India squad (captain: Shreyas Iyer)
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Shreyas Iyer | Captain, batter |
| Tilak Varma | Vice-captain, batter |
| Sanju Samson | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Ishan Kishan | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Abhishek Sharma | Batter |
| Shivam Dube | All-rounder |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | All-rounder |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder, spinner |
| Washington Sundar | All-rounder, spinner |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Spinner |
| Ravi Bishnoi | Spinner |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Pace bowler |
| Harshit Rana | Pace bowler |
| Arshdeep Singh | Pace bowler |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Batter (age 15) |
The biggest talking point: 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — the youngest player ever picked for an Indian team at a major international event — earned his spot after winning the IPL 2026 Orange Cap with 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30 and 72 sixes. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah also returns after being rested from India's T20I series against Ireland and England. Notably absent: Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill, both left out as Shreyas Iyer was elevated to the captaincy across India's white-ball setup.
Pakistan squad (captain: Sahibzada Farhan)
| Player | Role |
|---|---|
| Sahibzada Farhan | Captain, batter |
| Abdul Samad | Vice-captain, all-rounder |
| Usman Khan | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Saim Ayub | Batter |
| Haider Ali | Batter |
| Hasan Nawaz | Batter |
| Abrar Ahmed | Spinner |
| Sufyan Moqim | Spinner |
| Ahmed Daniyal | Pace bowler |
| Akif Javed | Pace bowler (uncapped) |
| Mohammad Salman Mirza | Pace bowler |
| Saad Masood | Pace bowler (uncapped) |
| Ali Raza | All-rounder (uncapped) |
| Arafat Minhas | All-rounder |
| Maaz Sadaqat | All-rounder (uncapped) |
The biggest talking point: Sahibzada Farhan, the leading run-scorer in Men's T20 World Cup history after his 383 runs at the 2026 tournament, captains the side for the first time in any format. But the headline is who's missing: Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah and regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Agha were all left out, as the PCB opted for a younger, experimental squad — four of the 15 (Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Maaz Sadaqat, Saad Masood) are yet to earn a full T20I cap.
India vs Pakistan cricket head-to-head 🟢 Confirmed
The rivalry's most recent chapters set the stage for whatever happens in Aichi-Nagoya:
- 2025 Asia Cup Final (Dubai): India beat Pakistan by 5 wickets, chasing 147 with an unbeaten innings from Tilak Varma — now India's Asian Games vice-captain — to claim India's ninth Asia Cup title.
- 2026 Men's T20 World Cup (Colombo): India and Pakistan were drawn in the same group and met on 15 February 2026 at the R. Premadasa Stadium — their first meeting since the 2025 Asia Cup.
- Asian Games cricket history: the two nations have not yet met inside an Asian Games cricket tournament, since cricket has only featured three times before 2026, making a potential Aichi-Nagoya clash historically significant regardless of stage.
India vs Pakistan Hockey at Asian Games 2026
🟢 Confirmed The official hockey draw places India in Pool A and Pakistan in Pool B, meaning the two nations cannot meet during the group stage. Given hockey's own storied India-Pakistan history — once one of world sport's fiercest rivalries — any knockout-stage meeting would carry huge weight regardless of medal implications. 🟡 Expected A possible India-Pakistan hockey quarter-final or semi-final matchup would depend entirely on both sides' pool-stage results, with the full knockout draw confirmed once the pool stage concludes.
India vs Pakistan Kabaddi at Asian Games 2026
🟢 Confirmed In men's kabaddi, India sit in Group A while Pakistan are in Group B. The top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals, meaning — as with cricket and hockey — an India-Pakistan meeting is possible but only from the knockout stage onward rather than in the group phase. India enter as one of the dominant forces in international kabaddi, adding extra weight to any potential semi-final or final meeting with Pakistan.
India vs Pakistan Medal Race at Asian Games 2026 🟡 Live table — updates once Games begin
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | — | — | — | — |
| Pakistan | — | — | — | — |
India enters Aichi-Nagoya 2026 off the back of its best-ever Asian Games showing at Hangzhou 2022 (100+ medals across shooting, athletics, badminton, wrestling, boxing, archery and hockey), while Pakistan's medal opportunities have historically concentrated around hockey, wrestling, athletics and squash. Cricket, hockey and kabaddi all represent potential head-to-head medal-defining moments between the two nations, on top of the broader overall table. Check back here or on our Asian Games 2026 event hub for live medal standings once competition begins on 10 September 2026.
India vs Pakistan Asian Games History
Cricket
Cricket has featured at the Asian Games three times before 2026: Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, and Hangzhou 2023. India won its first-ever men's cricket gold at Hangzhou under captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, also claiming the women's gold in the same edition. Pakistan finished third at Guangzhou 2010 and fourth at Hangzhou 2023 (one win, two losses).
Hockey
Hockey carries the deepest historical rivalry between the two nations at the Asian Games, stretching back decades, with both countries among the sport's most successful Asian Games nations historically, even as their relative dominance has shifted over the years.
Kabaddi
India has been the dominant force in Asian Games kabaddi since the sport's introduction, with Pakistan traditionally its strongest challenger — making any India-Pakistan kabaddi meeting one of the most competitive fixtures in the discipline.
Overall medal history
Across the Games' history, India has generally recorded a significantly higher overall medal count than Pakistan, though Pakistan's strength in specific disciplines — hockey, squash, wrestling and athletics — has produced its own celebrated moments over the decades.
Predicted India vs Pakistan Matchups 🔵 Prediction — editorial assessment, not an official result
Prediction: the sections below reflect editorial assessment based on current form and squad depth, not confirmed tournament outcomes.
Cricket — who has the edge?
On paper, India's squad depth — anchored by Jasprit Bumrah's experience and Sooryavanshi's explosive strike rate — gives them a strong claim as favourites, though Sahibzada Farhan's red-hot T20 World Cup form and Pakistan's uncapped bowling options add genuine unpredictability to any head-to-head.
Hockey — who has the edge?
Both nations bring genuine medal ambitions to the hockey competition; a head-to-head prediction is difficult to call this far out and will depend heavily on pool-stage form and squad fitness closer to the Games.
Kabaddi — who has the edge?
India's consistent Asian Games kabaddi dominance makes them the projected favourites in any potential meeting, though Pakistan has closed the gap in recent continental competitions.
Fan Guide: Watching India vs Pakistan at Asian Games 2026
- Tickets: Asian Games 2026 tickets are sold through the official Aichi-Nagoya 2026 ticketing platform, open to international buyers on a first-come, first-served basis — see our full Asian Games 2026 tickets guide for details.
- Live streaming and TV: official broadcasters for Asian Games 2026 cricket will be confirmed closer to the tournament by regional rights holders — we'll update this page once confirmed.
- Cricket venue: all men's cricket matches, including any India vs Pakistan fixture, are played at Korogi Athletic Park, Aichi Prefecture.
- Travelling to Japan: for flights, hotels and the full Games travel guide, see our Asian Games 2026 event hub and our detailed Asian Games 2026 schedule and travel guide.
Next India vs Pakistan Cricket Matches Beyond Asian Games
🟢 Confirmed The most imminent India-Pakistan cricket fixture isn't even at the Asian Games — it's the Women's Asia Cup 2026. India Women face Pakistan Women on 5 September 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in their final group match of a tournament running 28 August to 13 September 2026 across eight teams in the UAE. India are the most successful side in Women's Asia Cup history with seven titles, while Pakistan are still chasing their first.
🟢 Confirmed On the men's side, the most recent meeting was the 2025 Asia Cup final (India won) and the 2026 T20 World Cup group match in Colombo on 15 February. The next edition of the Men's Asia Cup is expected in 2027, reportedly switching to the ODI format, subject to official confirmation by the Asian Cricket Council closer to the date.
Whether you're planning to watch from home or travel for any of these fixtures, keep this page bookmarked — we'll update every confirmed India vs Pakistan date as soon as it's official.
Frequently asked questions
Will India play Pakistan at the Asian Games 2026?
Possibly. In men's cricket, both India and Pakistan received direct seeded entry into the quarter-finals and were placed on opposite sides of the knockout bracket, meaning a meeting can only happen if both teams reach the semi-finals or the gold medal match on 3 October 2026.
Can India face Pakistan at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, but only in the later knockout stages. The official draw structure means an India vs Pakistan cricket clash cannot happen before the semi-finals, since both teams are seeded into opposite halves of the eight-team quarter-final bracket.
When can India play Pakistan at Asian Games 2026?
The earliest possible India vs Pakistan meeting would be in the semi-finals, with the gold medal match, scheduled for 3 October 2026, as the other possible stage where the two sides could meet.
Will India vs Pakistan happen at Asian Games 2026?
It depends entirely on both teams' results in the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Since both are seeded and on opposite sides of the draw, they would need to each win their respective quarter-final and semi-final to set up a gold medal match meeting, or both lose their semi-finals to meet in a bronze-medal playoff if the format includes one.
What happens if India and Pakistan reach the final?
If both India and Pakistan win their respective semi-finals, they would meet in the gold medal match on 3 October 2026 at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture — the biggest possible India-Pakistan cricket occasion of the entire tournament.
Can India and Pakistan meet in the Asian Games cricket final?
Yes, this is the highest-profile possible scenario. Because the two teams are seeded on opposite sides of the knockout bracket, the gold medal match is the stage where an India vs Pakistan final is possible, alongside the semi-finals.
Why can't India and Pakistan meet before the medal match?
The official Asian Games 2026 cricket draw deliberately placed the four seeded teams — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — across separate quarter-final positions on opposite halves of the bracket, meaning India and Pakistan can only cross paths once both have progressed to the semi-final stage.
What is the India-Pakistan cricket schedule at Asian Games 2026?
There is no confirmed India vs Pakistan fixture date yet, since any meeting depends on both teams advancing through the knockout rounds. The men's cricket tournament runs from 24 September to 3 October 2026, with the semi-finals and gold medal match — the only stages where India and Pakistan could meet — taking place in the tournament's final days.
What is the Asian Games 2026 cricket format?
The men's tournament features 10 teams in T20 format. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka received direct seeded entry to the quarter-finals, while Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Oman play a preliminary round-robin group stage for the remaining four quarter-final spots.
Who is captaining India at Asian Games 2026 cricket?
Shreyas Iyer captains India's men's cricket squad at Asian Games 2026, having also been named India's new T20I captain, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain.
Who is captaining Pakistan at Asian Games 2026 cricket?
Sahibzada Farhan captains Pakistan's men's cricket squad at Asian Games 2026 — his first time leading the national team in any format — with Abdul Samad as vice-captain.
Why is Babar Azam not in Pakistan's Asian Games squad?
Babar Azam, along with regular white-ball captain Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Shadab Khan, was left out of Pakistan's 15-member Asian Games 2026 squad, as the Pakistan Cricket Board opted for a younger, more experimental group built partly around preparation for the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Why is Suryakumar Yadav not in India's Asian Games squad?
Suryakumar Yadav was left out after Shreyas Iyer was named India's new T20I captain, with the BCCI opting for Iyer to lead the side in both the Asian Games and India's white-ball assignments against Ireland and England.
Who is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a 15-year-old batting prodigy who earned a place in India's 15-member Asian Games 2026 squad after winning the IPL 2026 Orange Cap with 776 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 237.30, making him the youngest player ever selected for an Indian team at a major international event.
Who is Sahibzada Farhan?
Sahibzada Farhan is Pakistan's Asian Games 2026 captain and the leading run-scorer in the history of the Men's T20 World Cup, having struck 383 runs at an average of 76.60 during the 2026 edition of the tournament.
Can India and Pakistan meet in hockey at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, potentially. The official hockey draw places India in Pool A and Pakistan in Pool B, meaning the two sides cannot meet in the group stage but could face each other later in the knockout rounds depending on results.
Can India and Pakistan meet in kabaddi at Asian Games 2026?
Yes, potentially. The men's kabaddi draw places India in Group A and Pakistan in Group B, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals, making a later-stage India-Pakistan meeting possible rather than a group-stage clash.
What is India and Pakistan's head-to-head record in Asian Games cricket?
Cricket has only featured at the Asian Games three times before 2026 (Guangzhou 2010, Incheon 2014, Hangzhou 2023), and India and Pakistan's specific head-to-head meetings within the Games are limited — India won the inaugural men's cricket gold at Hangzhou 2023 while Pakistan finished fourth in that edition.
Did India win the last Asia Cup against Pakistan?
Yes. India beat Pakistan by five wickets in the final of the 2025 Men's Asia Cup in Dubai, chasing down a target of 147 with an unbeaten innings from Tilak Varma, to win their ninth Asia Cup title.
When do India and Pakistan play next in cricket?
The India Women vs Pakistan Women group match at the Women's Asia Cup 2026 is scheduled for 5 September 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium — one of the most anticipated near-term India-Pakistan cricket fixtures before any possible men's meeting at the Asian Games.
Is there an India vs Pakistan Women's Asia Cup match in 2026?
Yes. India Women face Pakistan Women in their final group match of the Women's Asia Cup 2026 on 5 September at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, in a tournament running from 28 August to 13 September 2026 in the UAE.
When is the next India vs Pakistan men's cricket match?
Beyond a possible Asian Games 2026 medal-match meeting, the next confirmed opportunity for a men's India vs Pakistan fixture would likely be the next edition of the Men's Asia Cup, expected in 2027 in the ODI format, subject to official confirmation by the Asian Cricket Council.
What TV channel will show India vs Pakistan Asian Games cricket?
Official broadcast rights for Asian Games 2026 cricket, including any India-Pakistan fixture, will be confirmed by regional broadcasters closer to the tournament — check your national cricket board or official Asian Games broadcast partners for confirmed listings nearer the September-October window.
How can I watch Asian Games 2026 cricket live?
Asian Games 2026 cricket matches carry official international T20I status and will be broadcast and streamed by rights holders confirmed closer to the tournament, alongside official live scoring on platforms like the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 website and major cricket score services.
Where is Asian Games 2026 cricket being played?
The men's cricket competition at Asian Games 2026 is being played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, running from 24 September to 3 October 2026.
What is India's Asian Games cricket history?
India won its first-ever Asian Games men's cricket gold medal at Hangzhou 2023 under captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, having also claimed the women's gold at the same Games, making India the defending champions in both categories heading into Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
What is Pakistan's Asian Games cricket history?
Pakistan finished third in cricket's Asian Games debut at Guangzhou 2010 and fourth at Hangzhou 2023, winning one match and losing two in the most recent edition, and will be looking to improve on that record at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
Is cricket at the Asian Games official international status?
Yes, all men's and women's T20 matches at the 2026 Asian Games carry official Twenty20 International (T20I) status, meaning results and player statistics count toward official international cricket records.
India vs Pakistan Social Media Reactions 🟡 Live module — updates once a matchup is confirmed
This section will be updated with genuine fan and media reaction once an India vs Pakistan fixture at Asian Games 2026 is confirmed or becomes mathematically likely following the quarter-final results. Check back as the knockout stage develops.