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Full-Strength India Kicks Off Asiad Campaign Against Inexperienced Afghanistan
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News18•27-09-2026, 10:45
Full-Strength India Kicks Off Asiad Campaign Against Inexperienced Afghanistan
- •India, with a full-strength squad led by Shreyas Iyer, begins its Asian Games campaign against an inexperienced Afghanistan.
- •The team aims to quickly adapt to unfamiliar conditions in Japan, having explored sights and sounds after a game against Japan.
- •Afghanistan, recently hammered by India, fields an inexperienced squad with six uncapped players, led by Darwish Rasooli.
- •India's decision to send a full-strength squad has been questioned by experts, with focus shifting from the 2027 ODI World Cup.
- •Anything less than a gold medal would be disappointing for India, especially given Iyer's captaincy challenges post T20 World Cup titles.
Key Questions Answered
India will face Afghanistan in their Asian Games opener in a quarterfinal match on Monday at Korogi Sports Park in Japan, starting at 10 am IST and broadcast on Sony Sports Network and FanCode.
The full-strength Indian men's cricket team at the Asian Games is captained by Shreyas Iyer, while the inexperienced Afghanistan squad is led by captain Darwish Rasooli.
Afghanistan competed in Group A alongside Nepal and host Japan, finishing second in the group with one win and one loss after suffering a surprising defeat against Nepal.
