India’s men’s cricket matches at the 2026 Asian Games will begin earlier than originally scheduled after organisers revised the timings of some knockout fixtures.
The afternoon men’s matches will now start at 1.30 pm local time instead of the previously announced 2 pm. The change applies to selected knockout matches, while the timings of the women’s cricket fixtures remain unchanged.
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India have received direct entry into the quarter-finals of the Aichi-Nagoya Games 2026. Their first match is scheduled to begin at 1.30 pm local time. As Japan is 3 hours and 30 minutes ahead of India, the match will start at 10 am IST.
The revised timings also apply to the second semi-final and the gold-medal match, both of which are scheduled to begin at 1.30 pm Japan time. However, the change has not yet been communicated to everyone involved in the competition.
Officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said they were not aware of the revised timings, even though the updated schedule had appeared on the official website.
More specifically, the change concerns the second quarter-final on September 28, which India will play, the second semi-final on October 1, in which India are likely to feature, and the gold-medal contest on October 3.
The other knockout fixtures will retain their earlier schedules. The first quarter-final, which involves Pakistan, the first semi-final and the bronze-medal play-off will begin at 9 am local time.
There is no change to the preliminary-round matches involving Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia and Oman. Those matches will continue to be played at 9 am and 2 pm local time.
The women’s cricket competition is also unaffected by the timing revision. Women’s matches begin directly from the quarter-finals and remain scheduled for 9 am and 2 pm local time.
The decision to bring forward some men’s matches is understood to be linked to conditions at the venue. Sources said the adjustment was necessitated because it gets dark early in Japan and the venue does not have lights.
With men’s matches expected to last longer, starting the afternoon fixtures 30 minutes earlier was considered a practical solution to ensure they can be completed before it becomes dark.
India will also play a T20I against Japan on September 22, although that match is separate from the Asian Games schedule. The fixture at Sano International Stadium is scheduled to begin at 1 pm Japan Standard Time, or 9.30 am IST.
The 2026 Asian Games will begin on September 19 and conclude on October 4. India’s men’s cricket team will enter the competition at the quarter-final stage, with their campaign now set to begin at 10 am IST on September 28.
The revised schedule gives India and other teams involved in the affected knockout matches an earlier start, with the timing change aimed at addressing the lack of floodlights and early sunset at the venue.
