India will take on a depleted Afghanistan side in the second quarterfinal of the cricket event at the Asian Games 2026 on Monday, 28 September, at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, with the gold medal defence firmly on the line. The match is scheduled for a 10 AM IST start and will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, with streaming available on Sony LIV.

A Champion Side with a Point to Prove

Unlike the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where India sent a second-string squad captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad and still claimed gold, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has deployed the first-choice T20I lineup this time. That decision has come at a cost — several ODI regulars will miss the simultaneous home series against the West Indies, which begins on Sunday, 27 September.

India arrive as not just defending Asian Games champions but also as reigning double T20 World Cup winners — a distinction they did not hold in 2023. Shreyas Iyer leads the side, with batting heavyweights and marquee fast bowlers at his disposal. The squad also includes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has already made a notable early impression at international level.

Afghanistan's Limitations and Recent Form

Afghanistan enter the knockout stage as a second-placed Group A side, having beaten Japan but suffering a heavy defeat to Nepal in the group stage. The team is captained by Darwish Rasooli, who carries only 33 T20I caps, and is largely composed of fresh faces rather than Afghanistan's established stars.

On paper, the gulf between the two sides is significant. However, conditions in Japan have already shown they can produce surprises, as India found out the hard way.

India's Cautionary Tale in Japan

The Men in Blue received an unexpected scare in the rain-hit one-off T20I against Japan, managing only 32 for 4 in five overs before scraping through with a two-run win. That followed a chastening tour of Ireland and England, where India lost all six completed T20Is. Adapting to local pitch and weather conditions at pace has been an acknowledged challenge for this side.

Key Selection Calls to Watch

Sanju Samson is expected to continue opening alongside Abhishek Sharma, following two half-centuries by the pair in matches against Afghanistan. That combination, if maintained, would likely push Sooryavanshi down the batting order or leave him waiting for a chance. A notable question mark also hangs over whether Jasprit Bumrah, rested for the Japan T20I, returns to the playing eleven for the quarterfinal.

Squads and Broadcast Details

India squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Afghanistan squad: Darwish Rasooli (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Akram, Ismat Alam, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Hassan Eisakhil, Mohammad Ishaq, Karim Janat, Faisal Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Imran Mir, Arab Gul Momand, Farmanullah Safi, Khalid Taniwal, Najibullah Zadran.

The winner of this quarterfinal advances to the semifinal stage, where stiffer regional competition awaits. India will be keen to demonstrate that their gold medal credentials — and their T20 World champion pedigree — hold up under real knockout pressure in Japan.