India-Pakistan meeting reserved for medals at Asian Games

There will be no early meeting between arch-rivals India and Pakistan at the Nagoya Asian Games, as is normally the case in other competitions — but when and if it happens, it will carry added significance. The blockbuster clash has been reserved as a medal contest, with the two neighbours, the top two seeded sides in the men's competition, able to cross paths only in the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off.

The Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with cricket being played from September 17 to October 3 — beginning with women's matches (final on September 22) followed by the men's event. There are 10 teams in the men's competition and eight in the women's event, all matches to be played at the Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya in T20 format.

Men's competition: quarterfinal seeds and path

India, alongside Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, has been seeded directly into the quarterfinals, while the remaining six sides — including Afghanistan — will have to go through the group stage. India will play in Quarterfinal 2 and Pakistan are placed in Quarterfinal 1, with both matches scheduled for September 28.

The semifinal line-up is such that the winners of Quarterfinal 2 (likely India) will face the winners of Quarterfinal 3, while the winners of Quarterfinal 1 (likely Pakistan) will take on the winners of Quarterfinal 4. Both semifinals are scheduled for October 1.

This means the traditional rivals can clash only in the gold-medal match or the third-place play-off for the bronze medal, with both matches scheduled for October 3. Apart from Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia and Oman will feature in the group stage.

Women's competition

In the women's competition, India are the top-seeded side, while Pakistan are No. 4 in the Games, behind Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But the draw is such that India face Japan in the quarterfinal and, if they progress, will meet either Bangladesh or Hong Kong, China in the semifinal. Pakistan, on the other hand, face Thailand in their quarterfinal clash and would meet either Sri Lanka or Malaysia should they progress.

A potential India-Pakistan clash in the women's event, therefore, can only take place in the final or the bronze-medal play-off, which is scheduled for September 22. India have already announced their squads under Shreyas Iyer (men) and Harmanpreet Kaur (women).