Nisshin: India will begin their women’s cricket campaign at the 2026 Asian Games with a quarter-final clash against hosts Japan at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi, on Friday. The match marks the first-ever meeting between India and Japan in international cricket, across both men’s and women’s formats.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, the defending Asian Games champions enter the tournament after winning the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 in convincing fashion. India defeated Sri Lanka by 72 runs in the Asia Cup final on September 13, adding another continental title before travelling to Japan for their Asian Games campaign.
Japan, meanwhile, will face one of the strongest teams in the women’s game in what is also a significant occasion for the hosts. Japan captain Mai Yanagida brings considerable international experience to the side, having represented her country in 61 matches, according to NDTV’s live coverage.
India begin Asian Games title defence
India won the women’s cricket gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou and enter the 2026 edition as the defending champions. The team will now look to make a strong start to its title defence against Japan.
The women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games is being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Eight teams are competing for the women’s T20 cricket gold medal, with the competition running from September 17 to September 22.
India received a direct place in the quarter-finals and were drawn against hosts Japan. The other quarter-final fixtures have also determined the route towards the medal rounds, with Bangladesh progressing to the semi-finals after their quarter-final against China was washed out.
For Harmanpreet and her team, the immediate objective is to progress from the quarter-final and move into the medal stages.
Historic first meeting between India and Japan
The India-Japan fixture is significant beyond the Asian Games because the two countries had never previously played each other in international cricket.
NDTV reported that Friday’s match will be the first international cricket meeting between India and Japan in any format or gender. For Japan, it also represents their first women’s T20I against an ICC Full Member nation.
Japan will have home support at Korogi Sports Park, while India arrive with the experience of playing at the highest level of international women’s cricket.
The hosts will be led by all-rounder Mai Yanagida, who has been one of the experienced figures in the Japanese setup. Her 61 international appearances make her an important player for Japan as they prepare for their biggest test in the competition.
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma key to India’s batting
India’s batting line-up contains significant experience and firepower, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma expected to provide the team with an aggressive opening combination.
Both players were central to India’s recent Asia Cup success. In the final against Sri Lanka, Shafali scored 68 off 24 balls while Mandhana made 59, with the pair adding 129 runs for the opening wicket. India eventually posted 183 for five before bowling Sri Lanka out for 111.
The form of the opening pair will be closely watched in Japan, particularly as India look to establish control early in the quarter-final.
Beyond the opening duo, India have considerable all-round depth, with players such as Deepti Sharma providing both batting and bowling options. The team’s recent Asia Cup campaign demonstrated its ability to contribute with both departments.
Deepti Sharma brings all-round strength
Deepti Sharma will be one of India’s important players during the Asian Games campaign.
The all-rounder was among India’s key contributors during the Women’s Asia Cup, where her bowling played an important role throughout the tournament. India also have Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership and a group of experienced players capable of handling the pressure of a knockout fixture.
With the quarter-final being a direct knockout match, India will need to maintain discipline in both innings. A strong start with the bat followed by controlled bowling could put the defending champions in a favourable position.
However, the team will also be conscious of the different conditions in Japan after playing the Asia Cup in Dubai.
Japan prepare for major challenge
For Japan, the quarter-final is an opportunity to test themselves against one of the world’s leading women’s cricket teams.
The hosts will have the advantage of familiar surroundings and home support at Korogi Sports Park. However, India bring substantially more experience of international cricket, including players who have competed regularly in global tournaments and franchise cricket.
Japan’s players will therefore face a demanding assignment against an Indian side that has just won the Women’s Asia Cup.
The hosts’ captain Yanagida will be particularly important as Japan attempt to handle India’s experienced batting and varied bowling attack.
Asia Cup victory adds momentum for India
India’s latest continental title provides an important backdrop to their Asian Games campaign.
The team defeated Bangladesh by 40 runs in the Asia Cup semi-final before overcoming Sri Lanka in the final. The tournament ended with India lifting their eighth Women’s Asia Cup title after a dominant 72-run victory.
Shafali and Mandhana’s opening partnership set up the final, while Sree Charani took four wickets to help India defend their total.
India will now attempt to carry that momentum into a different tournament and format. The Asian Games title defence also provides another opportunity for the side to build on its recent success.
Route to the semi-finals
The winner of the India-Japan quarter-final will advance to the women’s cricket semi-finals.
According to the tournament schedule, the semi-finals are set for September 20. Bangladesh have already advanced to one of the semi-final spots after their quarter-final against China was washed out, with the higher-seeded team progressing.
That makes Friday’s contest particularly important for India, who will be aiming to secure their place in the medal rounds.
The gold-medal match and bronze-medal match will follow later in the competition, with the women’s cricket tournament scheduled to conclude on September 22.
India vs Japan match details
The quarter-final is being played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi, with Harmanpreet Kaur leading India and Mai Yanagida captaining Japan.
The fixture has already generated interest because of its historic nature. While India are entering the contest after a successful Asia Cup campaign, Japan will be seeking to make the most of their home conditions and create a memorable moment in their first international meeting with India.
For the defending champions, the priority will be to secure progress to the semi-finals and keep their Asian Games gold-medal defence on course.
The match also begins a new chapter in India-Japan cricket, with the two sides meeting for the first time in international competition.