India will begin their gold-medal defense at the 2026 Asian Games men’s T20 cricket tournament against Afghanistan in the second quarter-final on Monday, September 28, at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The clash is a direct rematch of the 2023 Asian Games final in Hangzhou. Repeat of the Last Final: The two teams met in the gold-medal match at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, where India were awarded the gold medal based on their higher seeding after persistent rain caused the match to be abandoned. How Afghanistan Qualified: Afghanistan secured the second qualification spot from Group A. Following a win against hosts Japan and a loss to Nepal, their qualification was sealed when the final Group A match between Nepal and Japan was washed out. Nepal topped the group, while Afghanistan finished second. Direct Quarter-Final Entry: As one of the top four seeded ICC teams, India received direct entry into the quarter-finals alongside Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Star-Studded Indian Squad: India have named a strong, international-heavy squad led by Shreyas Iyer and coached by VVS Laxman. The team features prominent stars including Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, and Arshdeep Singh. Weather & Conditions Threat: Rain has played a major role in Nisshin throughout the group stage, and passings showers or overcast conditions remain a concern for the knockout clash.