Afghanistan will take on Nepal in the fourth match of the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Friday, September 25. The match is important for both sides as they look to secure a place in the quarter-finals from Group A, which also includes Japan. The top two teams from the group will advance to the knockout stage.
Afghanistan started their campaign with a convincing 48-run victory over hosts Japan. They posted 129/6 before bowling Japan out for 81 in 19.3 overs. Mohammad Akram top-scored with 34, while Arab Gul Momand and Nangyal Kharoti played important roles with the ball.
Nepal, meanwhile, are beginning their Asian Games campaign against Afghanistan. They arrive with plenty of experience in T20 cricket and recently won the Men’s T20I Asian Games Qualifier. Nepal also have several players returning to the national side, including Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh and Sompal Kami.
The two sides have additional history at the Asian Games. Nepal faced Afghanistan in the quarter-finals of the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, where Afghanistan won by eight runs after Nepal restricted them to 119/9.
AFG vs NEP: Match details
| Match | Afghanistan vs Nepal, 4th Match, Group A, Asian Games 2026 |
|---|---|
| Date | Friday, September 25, 2026 |
| Time | 10:30 AM IST / 2:00 PM local |
| Venue | Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan |
| Format | T20 |
| Live streaming | SonyLIV |
| Broadcast | Sony Sports Network |
All men’s Asian Games cricket matches are being played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Korogi Sports Park: Pitch report
The Korogi Sports Park surface has produced relatively low-scoring matches during the men’s competition so far. Afghanistan made 129/6 against Japan before bowling them out for 81, while Malaysia chased down Hong Kong’s 81/9 in just 12 overs.
The venue has also offered assistance to spinners. Current match statistics show that spinners have taken more wickets than pacers at the ground, although teams batting first have generally enjoyed the better results.
AFG vs NEP: Head-to-head record
Afghanistan and Nepal have met several times in international cricket, including at the 2014 Asian Games and in T20I cricket.
The most notable Asian Games meeting came in 2014, when Afghanistan defeated Nepal by eight runs in the quarter-final.
AFG vs NEP: Predicted playing XIs
Afghanistan
- Mohammad Akram
- Hassan Eisakhil
- Darwish Rasooli (C)
- Karim Janat
- Najibullah Zadran
- Ismat Alam
- Mohammad Ishaq (WK)
- Nangyal Kharoti
- Arab Gul Momand
- Khalid Taniwal
- Farmanullah Safi
Afghanistan’s squad for the Asian Games is led by Darwish Rasooli and does not include several of the country’s established international stars, including Rashid Khan.
Nepal
- Kushal Bhurtel
- Aasif Sheikh (WK)
- Rohit Paudel (C)
- Kushal Malla
- Dipendra Singh Airee
- Aarif Sheikh
- Sompal Kami
- Gulsan Jha
- Sandeep Lamichhane
- Abinash Bohara
- Nandan Yadav
Nepal have recalled several experienced players for the Asian Games after their recent absence from the national setup. Sompal Kami is the only member of Nepal’s 2014 Asian Games squad still involved with the team.
AFG vs NEP: Probable best performers
Probable best batter: Mohammad Akram
Mohammad Akram made an important contribution in Afghanistan’s opening match against Japan, scoring 34 runs in a difficult batting environment. His ability to build an innings on a challenging surface could again prove valuable against Nepal.
Probable best bowler: Arab Gul Momand
Arab Gul Momand was one of Afghanistan’s standout bowlers against Japan. He finished the match with four wickets and played a major role in restricting the hosts to 81. His performance makes him one of Afghanistan’s key bowling threats against Nepal.
AFG vs NEP: Match prediction
Afghanistan have already gained valuable experience of the conditions after beating Japan in their opening match. Nepal, however, have a number of experienced T20 players and will be motivated by their previous Asian Games history against Afghanistan.
The slow nature of the surface could make spin and disciplined bowling particularly important. Afghanistan’s early knowledge of the conditions gives them an advantage, while Nepal’s experienced core could make this a competitive contest.
Afghanistan will enter the match with momentum after their opening victory, while Nepal will look to make a strong start to their Asian Games campaign.
