Asian Games 2026: Rain threat looms over India's opener against Afghanistan

Heavy rain is forecast at Nisshin, Japan, on Monday, Spetember 28, casting serious doubt over India's Asian Games 2026 men's cricket opener against Afghanistan. Should the match be completely washed out, India would advance to the semifinals on the basis of their higher seeding, determined by their T20I ranking.

India arrive at the tournament as back-to-back T20 World Cup champions, aiming to defend the gold medal they won at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The women's team has already delivered, with the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs to claim gold in the women's event.

Cricinfo reports that the chance of a complete washout is real, and the venue's recent history does little to ease concerns. The last two matches played at Nisshin, both on Friday, were badly disrupted: the Malaysia versus Oman fixture was a complete washout, while the Japan versus Nepal game also produced no result. India began their training session on Sunday ahead of the campaign, with skipper Shreyas Iyer, left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi among those present at the ground.

What happened when India last played at the Asian Games?

At the Hangzhou Asian Games, India's men's team claimed gold without completing the final, which was washed out. They were awarded the title on the basis of being the higher-seeded team, with Afghanistan as their opponents in that final. Several players from that squad went on to be part of India's T20 World Cup-winning group. The team in Hangzhou was led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Chennai Super Kings captain and Indian middle-order batter.

The circumstances at Nisshin carry a clear echo of that Hangzhou final. If Monday's opener is washed out, India would once again progress on seeding, this time into the semifinals rather than a final, and Afghanistan would again be the side affected.

Who captains India's men's side at Asian Games 2026?

Shreyas Iyer leads India's men's squad at the Asian Games 2026. Iyer has won an IPL title with Kolkata Knight Riders, a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Mumbai as captain, and led Delhi Capitals and, in 2025, Punjab Kings to the IPL final. An Asian Games gold medal would be another significant addition to his captaincy record.

Tilak Varma serves as vice-captain in the squad. The group includes two wicketkeepers in Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan, and the depth of international experience across the side makes this a formidable Indian contingent for the tournament.