The schedule for the men’s cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya has undergone a minor adjustment, with afternoon knockout fixtures moved forward by 30 minutes. Matches originally slated for 2 pm local time will now commence at 1.30 pm to ensure play concludes before sunset at the floodlight-free venue. This change specifically impacts the second quarter-final on September 28, the second semi-final on October 1, and the gold-medal match scheduled for October 3.
India, having received a direct entry into the quarter-finals, will be directly affected by these changes, with their initial match now set for 1.30 pm local time, or 10 am IST, given the 3 hour and 30 minute time difference between Japan and India. While the updated schedule is reflected on the official website, Indian Olympic Association officials have noted that they have not received formal communication regarding these revisions.
Other knockout fixtures remain unchanged, with the first quarter-final featuring Pakistan, the first semi-final, and the bronze-medal match all sticking to their original 9 am local time start. The morning matches, which run at 9 am local time or 5.30 am IST, remain unaffected by the scheduling shift. Additionally, there are no changes to the women’s tournament schedule or the preliminary-round games for teams including Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, and Oman; these will continue to follow their designated 9 am and 2 pm time slots.
Separately, India is scheduled to play a non-tournament T20I match against Japan on September 22 at the Sano International Stadium. That fixture is set for 1 pm JST, which corresponds to 9.30 am IST. The Asian Games themselves are slated to take place from September 19 through October 4. The report also notes that the afternoon men’s matches will begin at 1.30 pm instead of the originally announced 2 pm, according to the revised schedule. The report also notes that the change in timings has still not been communicated to all those involved. The report also notes that sources say the adjustment was necessitated because it gets dark early in Japan.
