Asian Games 2026: Team India knockout matches to start half an hour earlier

A major update has emerged regarding the men's cricket event at the Asian Games 2026. The tournament is to be played between September 19 and October 4 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the timing of the knockout round matches has now been changed. This will directly affect Team India's schedule.

As per the new schedule, knockout round afternoon matches will now start at 1:30 pm local time instead of 2 pm. Indian time is 3 hours 30 minutes behind Japan, so these matches can now be watched live in India from 10 am.

The reason for the change in timing is clear. It gets dark early in the evening in Japan, and the grounds where these matches are to be played do not have floodlights. Besides, men's T20 matches take longer than women's matches. For this reason, the match has been moved half an hour earlier so it can finish before dark. The schedule has been updated on the official website, but officials of the Indian Olympic Association, or IOA, say they have not yet received formal notification of this change.

The change applies only to certain knockout matches. The Indian men's team will begin its campaign directly from the quarter-final, and the second quarter-final match will be played on September 28. This match will now start at 10 am Indian time. If India reaches the semi-final, that match will be held on October 1, also at 10 am Indian time. The gold medal match will likewise start at 10 am Indian time.

Team India has been in the news since the start of this tournament. Earlier, the BCCI had objected to the accommodation arrangements for the Indian cricket team, saying the living facilities were not adequate. In response, the Asian Games management had made a sharp comment aimed at the BCCI, saying that equal facilities were being provided to all teams. It remains to be seen whether this new change in schedule sparks a fresh controversy.