NISSHIN: Pakistan and India can face each other only in the gold-medal final or bronze-medal match of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games, according to the schedule announced by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
Cricket matches will run from September 17 to October 3, with all fixtures played in the T20 format at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.
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Pakistan’s women will begin their Asian Games campaign against Thailand in the quarter-finals on September 17.
Pakistan Enter Men’s Event in Quarter-Finals
The men’s group stage will be played from September 24 to 26, while Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been seeded directly into the quarter-finals.
Pakistan will play their quarter-final on September 28 against the team finishing second in Group B, which features Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Oman.
India will face the Group A runners-up later the same day. Group A comprises Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal.
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Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will play their respective quarter-finals on September 29.
The men’s semi-finals are scheduled for October 1, followed by the bronze-medal contest and gold-medal final on October 3.
Under the tournament draw, Pakistan and India cannot meet before the medal matches, setting up the possibility of a high-profile encounter for Asian Games gold if both teams reach the final.
Pakistan Women Face Thailand
In the women’s competition, Pakistan will face Thailand on September 17, while Bangladesh take on China.
Sri Lanka will meet Malaysia and India will play Japan in the remaining quarter-finals on September 18.
The women’s semi-finals will take place on September 20, with the bronze-medal match and final scheduled for September 22.
Men’s cricket schedule
Group stage
- Group A: Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal
- Group B: Hong Kong, China, Malaysia, Oman
September 24
- 9:00am — Afghanistan vs Japan
- 2:00pm — Hong Kong vs Malaysia
September 25
- 9:00am — Hong Kong vs Oman
- 2:00pm — Afghanistan vs Nepal
September 26
- 9:00am — Japan vs Nepal
- 2:00pm — Malaysia vs Oman
Quarter-finals — September 28
- 9:00am — Pakistan vs B2
- 2:00pm — India vs A2
Quarter-finals — September 29
- 9:00am — Sri Lanka vs A1
- 2:00pm — Bangladesh vs B1
Knockout stage — October 1
- 9:00am — Semi-final 1
- 2:00pm — Semi-final 2
October 3
- 9:00am — Bronze-medal match
- 2:00pm — Final
Women’s cricket schedule
Quarter-finals
September 17
- 9:00am — Bangladesh vs China
- 2:00pm — Pakistan vs Thailand
September 18
- 9:00am — Sri Lanka vs Malaysia
- 2:00pm — India vs Japan
Knockout stage
September 20
- 9:00am — Semi-final 1
- 2:00pm — Semi-final 2
September 22
- 9:00am — Bronze-medal match
- 2:00pm — Final
