India's Asian Games Cricket Campaign Faces Rain Threat Ahead of Opener

As India's cricket team prepares to face Afghanistan in their Asian Games opener, rain threatens to disrupt their campaign. Led by Shreyas Iyer, the team aims to defend their gold medal and secure another victory in cricket. With heavy rain expected, the match could be washed out, allowing India to advance to the semifinals based on their T20I ranking. The squad includes several top players, and they are coming off a successful title defense in women's cricket. Discover more about their training and aspirations for gold.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 27, 2026, 15:06 IST

Rain Forecast for India's Opening Match

India's cricket team is set to kick off their Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan on Tuesday, but rain is looming over the match, as reported by Cricinfo. The team, led by Shreyas Iyer, aims to defend their gold medal and secure another medal in cricket at this year's Asian Games. However, heavy rainfall is anticipated in Nisshin on Monday, raising concerns that the match could be completely canceled. If that occurs, India will advance to the semifinals due to their higher seeding based on their T20I ranking.

Recent Matches Impacted by Weather

The last two matches held at the venue faced similar weather issues, with the game between Malaysia and Oman resulting in a complete washout, while the match between Japan and Nepal ended without a result due to rain.

Team India's Training Session

On Sunday, Team India commenced their training in preparation for the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games, with their first match against Afghanistan scheduled for Monday. Key players present during the training included left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, captain Shreyas Iyer, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Aiming for Gold Again

India's women's cricket team successfully defended their title, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, defeating Sri Lanka by 147 runs to secure the gold medal. In their previous Asian Games appearance in Hangzhou, India's emerging T20 World Cup stars clinched the gold by defeating Afghanistan, as the final was washed out, allowing India to win based on their higher seeding. The team was captained by Ruturaj Gaikwad of Chennai Super Kings.

Leadership Under Shreyas Iyer

The men's team will be captained by Shreyas Iyer, known as 'Sarpanch Sahab', who also leads the T20 squad. With several top international players in the lineup, this is one of India's strongest cricket teams at the Asian Games. Shreyas, who has previously won an IPL title with Kolkata Knight Riders and led teams to finals, is looking to add another achievement to his captaincy record.

India's Men's Cricket Squad for Asian Games 2026

*India's men's cricket squad for the Asian Games 2026 includes: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Vipraj Nigam, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Thakur, Arshdeep Singh, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.