Nagoya: Defending champions India will begin their Asian Games women’s cricket title defence against hosts Japan in the quarterfinals in Nagoya on Friday.
India arrive at the continental showpiece with plenty of confidence after winning their eighth T20 Asia Cup title in Dubai last week. However, the knockout format means the defending champions will have little room for error.
The women’s cricket competition features eight teams, with the tournament moving directly into the quarterfinal stage. There is no group phase, leaving teams without the opportunity to settle into the competition through preliminary matches.
For India, that makes Friday’s quarterfinal particularly important. A defeat would immediately bring their Asian Games campaign to an end, while victory would send them into the semifinals and keep their title defence on track.
Playing against hosts Japan in Nagoya, India will look to carry the momentum from their recent Asia Cup success into the Asian Games and take another step towards retaining the continental crown.
With every match carrying knockout consequences, India will need to adapt quickly to the conditions and maintain their focus from the opening ball. Japan, meanwhile, will have home support behind them as they look to produce a major upset against the reigning Asian Games champions.
