Asian Games Cricket 2026: Semifinal and Final Match Schedule

Pakistan will face Bangladesh and India will play Sri Lanka in the men’s cricket semi-finals at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, October 1. The winners will meet in the final on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The organiser’s published listing puts the final at 1:30 p.m. Japan time, 9:30 a.m. in Pakistan and 10:00 a.m. in India.

The knockout schedule follows four abandoned quarter-finals. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka progressed through their higher seedings after rain prevented play. With two matches separating each team from gold, weather conditions and the tournament’s abandonment rules remain central to the competition.

These matches belong to the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, rather than the Asia Cup or Cricket World Cup.

Semi-Final and Final Schedule

The following table includes Pakistan Standard Time, India Standard Time, Coordinated Universal Time, and Japan Standard Time. UTC provides the international reference for readers outside South Asia.

The semi-final timings follow the ICC’s published schedule. The final timing follows the organiser’s listing, also reflected in Willow’s schedule. Some earlier reports listed a 2:00 p.m. Japan start for the final. These are scheduled playing times; weather or ground inspections may delay the start.

PKT is UTC+5, IST is UTC+5:30, and JST is UTC+9. Each match falls on the same calendar date across all four time zones shown above.

Pakistan advanced when their September 28 quarter-final against Hong Kong was abandoned. India’s match against Afghanistan was washed out the same day. On September 29, Sri Lanka Nepal and Bangladesh Malaysia suffered the same outcome. The higher-seeded sides qualified, leaving the four semi-finalists without a single delivery played in the tournament.

That absence of match practice makes predictions harder. The squads can be compared through their personnel and international experience, but none has produced tournament performances in Japan that establish its current rhythm or adaptation to the ground.

A tied Pakistan Bangladesh semi-final would be decided by a Super Over, according to the reported playing conditions. Pakistan would not qualify simply because both sides finished level. Bangladesh could win the Super Over and take the place in Saturday’s final.

Pakistan’s seeding matters if weather prevents the semi-final or its Super Over from being completed. Pakistan would then advance as the higher-seeded team. India hold the same advantage against Sri Lanka: an unresolved match because of weather would send India through, while a playable tie would require a Super Over.

A shower alone does not determine the finalist. Officials must assess whether play can resume and whether a result remains possible under the regulations. Reporting a tie as a washout would therefore misrepresent both the match situation and the qualification process.

The forecasts checked on September 30 indicate better conditions for Thursday than those experienced during the quarter-finals. The regional Nagoya outlook shows sunshine and a high near 30°C. WindBorne’s retrieved forecast also indicates mostly clear conditions, with a high around 28°C. Neither forecast guarantees uninterrupted play at Korogi Sports Park.

The ground’s recovery remains a separate issue. Reuters reported that organisers were preparing equipment to remove water and dry affected areas. Clear skies can help, but the outfield must still be suitable for play. Pakistan Bangladesh has the morning slot, while India Sri Lanka is scheduled for the afternoon, giving ground staff different preparation windows.

An India Pakistan final on October 3 remains possible because the teams are in separate semi-finals. Both can qualify by winning their matches. They could also advance through the seeding provision if weather prevents results in both games. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, however, retain the opportunity to decide those places on the field.

If the final is washed out, both finalists will receive gold medals. The organising committee confirmed to The Indian Express that the men’s final has no reserve day and that cancellation would result in shared gold. Rankings would not choose a sole champion in that situation.

That means an abandoned India Pakistan final would produce joint gold medallists. The same rule would apply to any other pairing. It differs from the previous Asian Games final, when India received gold after their match against Afghanistan was abandoned under the ranking-based regulation.

For Saturday, October 3, the forecasts are less consistent. The regional outlook indicates partly sunny conditions and a high near 26°C. WindBorne’s retrieved forecast lists showers, a 27% daily precipitation probability and approximately 2.9 millimetres of rain. These figures represent one provider’s forecast, not the likelihood of the final being abandoned.

Rain could fall outside playing hours or miss the venue. Conversely, further rainfall on a damp surface could cause delays. A forecast closer to Saturday and the officials’ ground inspection will provide a firmer assessment than a daily percentage alone.

The captains in the Asian Games Cricket squads

These appointments relate specifically to the Asian Games competition.

On squad balance, India are the strongest side in this assessment. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh provide pace options, while Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Iyer offer batting depth. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar give the selectors further flexibility. That supports India’s position as a pre-match favourite, without guaranteeing a place in the final.

Pakistan can build around Farhan and Saim Ayub, Bangladesh have Litton and Mustafizur Rahman, and Sri Lanka can call on Nuwan Thushara and Chamika Karunaratne. Each side has players capable of influencing a short knockout contest. Thursday’s results will determine which two return for the October 3 final, where the gold-medal match is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. PKT, 10:00 a.m. IST and 04:30 UTC.

Sources

1. Semi-finalists confirmed at Asian Games competition
2. Cricket participating countries and matchups
3. Gold medal to be shared if cricket final is washed out
4. All the squads at the Men’s Asian Games 2026
5. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advance as rain washes out cricket again
6. Nagoya, Aichi weather forecast
7. Asian Games 2026 schedule