Afghanistan will take on Nepal in a crucial Group A match of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026 on Friday, September 25. Afghanistan have made a strong start to their campaign after beating hosts Japan by 48 runs in their opening game.
Nepal, meanwhile, will look to begin their campaign with a win. Afghanistan have won the toss and elected to bat first.
Who Won The Toss Between Afghanistan And Nepal?
Afghanistan captain Darwish Rasooli won the toss and decided to bat first against Nepal.
Afghanistan have made one change to their playing XI, with Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Karim Janat, Darwish Rasooli, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Faisal Shinozada, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Nangeyalia Kharoti and Arab Gul Momand in the team.
Nepal will be led by Dipendra Singh Airee and have included Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel, Kushal Malla, Gulsan Jha, Sundeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC and Lalit Rajbanshi.
When And Where Is Afghanistan vs Nepal Being Played?
The Afghanistan vs Nepal Group A match is being played on Friday, September 25, at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
The match will begin at 10:30 AM IST.
Where To Watch Afghanistan vs Nepal Live In India?
The Afghanistan vs Nepal Asian Games 2026 match will be broadcast live on Sony Sports Network in India.
Fans can watch the live streaming of the match on the SonyLIV app and website.
What Is The Head-To-Head Record Between Afghanistan And Nepal?
Afghanistan and Nepal have played only one T20I against each other.
Nepal won that match by nine runs during the 2014 T20 World Cup.
T20I head-to-head:
- Matches: 1
- Afghanistan won: 0
- Nepal won: 1
What Is The Group A Points Table?
Afghanistan are currently at the top of Group A after winning their opening match against Japan.
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +2.4 |
| Nepal | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Japan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -2.4 |
How Did Afghanistan Start Their Asian Games Campaign?
Afghanistan defeated Japan by 48 runs in their first Group A match. They scored 129/6 before bowling Japan out for 81.
Arab Gul was the star with the ball on his T20I debut. He took four wickets for just eight runs. Nangeyalia Kharoti also impressed with three wickets for 19 runs.
Afghanistan will now look to beat Nepal and strengthen their position at the top of Group A.
Can Nepal Challenge Afghanistan?
Nepal have a strong team led by Dipendra Singh Airee. They have experienced players such as Rohit Paudel, Karan KC and Sandeep Lamichhane.
Nepal will hope their experienced players can help them deal with Afghanistan’s bowling attack. A win in this match will also give Nepal a strong start to their Asian Games campaign.
What Are The Playing XIs For Afghanistan And Nepal?
Afghanistan Playing XI: Mohammad Akram, Hassan Eisakhil, Karim Janat, Darwish Rasooli (c), Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq (w), Faisal Shinozada, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Nangeyalia Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand.
Nepal Playing XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (w), Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Kushal Malla, Gulsan Jha, Sundeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC, Lalit Rajbanshi.
What Are The Full Squads?
Nepal: Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Rohit Kumar Paudel, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Aarif Sheikh, Aasif Sheikh, Kushal Bhurtel, Lalit Rajbanshi, Gulsan Kumar Jha, Nandan Yadav, Lokesh Bam, Sundeep Jora, Sher Malla, Kushal Malla.
Afghanistan: Darwish Rasooli (c), Abdullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Akram, Ismat Alam, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Hassan Eisakhil, Mohammad Ishaq, Karim Janat, Faisal Khan, Nangyal Kharoti, Imran Mir, Arab Gul Momand, Farmanullah Safi, Khalid Taniwal, Najibullah Zadran.