CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: The Indian men’s cricket team had to fight until the final ball for victory in a thrilling match against Japan ahead of the Asian Games 2026. The match was reduced to five overs per side because of rain. Batting first, India scored 32 runs for five wickets, in reply to which Japan could manage only 30 runs for three wickets in five overs. India won the match by two runs.
The match against Japan was also the first international cricket match between the men’s teams of India and Japan. Captain Shreyas Iyer scored 16 runs off 12 balls, while Washington Sundar played an important role with the ball. In the final over, Axar Patel stopped Japan from scoring the required runs and sealed India’s victory.
The Indian men’s team’s next major assignment will now be at the Asian Games. India will begin directly from the quarter-finals. The match will be played on September 28, against a team that qualifies from the group stage. The Asian Games men’s cricket tournament will run from September 24 to October 3.
If India win the quarter-final, they will play the semi-final on October 1. After that, according to the team’s schedule, India will play either the final or the bronze medal match on October 3. India’s possible opponent in the quarter-final will be decided after the group-stage results.
India will enter the Asian Games to defend their previous gold medal. Under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer, the squad includes players such as Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
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