By CRIC INFO 365 Staff | September 25, 2026
Quick Answer: Afghanistan vs Nepal is the fourth match of Group A at the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket competition, played today, September 25, at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. Afghanistan lead the group after a tighter than expected win over Japan, while Nepal walk into their tournament opener with one of the form batters of the entire competition in their top order. Here’s everything you need before the toss.
Afghanistan vs Nepal Match Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Afghanistan vs Nepal, 4th Match, Group A |
| Tournament | Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket |
| Date | September 25, 2026 |
| Venue | Kōrogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan |
| Start time | 2:00 PM local time (10:30 AM IST) |
| Afghanistan captain | Darwish Rasooli |
| Nepal captain | Dipendra Singh Airee |
| Group A standings | Afghanistan 2 points (1W, 0L), Nepal 0 points (yet to play) |
When and Where Is Afghanistan vs Nepal Being Played?
Kōrogi Sports Park hosts every match of the men’s Asian Games 2026 cricket competition, and Afghanistan vs Nepal is the second match of the day, following the Group B fixture between Hong Kong, China and Oman earlier on the same schedule.
| Region | Local Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Japan (JST) | 2:00 PM | September 25 |
| India (IST) | 10:30 AM | September 25 |
| UK (BST) | 6:00 AM | September 25 |
| US East Coast (EDT) | 1:00 AM | September 25 |
| Australia East (AEST) | 3:00 PM | September 25 |
Why Does Afghanistan vs Nepal Matter for Group A?
Group A runs as a single round robin between Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal, with the top two advancing to the quarterfinals. Afghanistan already sit on two points after beating Japan in the tournament opener, which means a win in Afghanistan vs Nepal today would put them in a commanding position heading into their final group match, while a Nepal win would completely flatten the group standings with one match left for everyone to play.
What makes this fixture worth watching closely is that Afghanistan’s opening win was not the comfortable statement result their status as the group’s strongest side might suggest. Japan restricted them to under six runs an over for the first fifteen overs of that innings, and it took a late surge, an unbeaten 25 off 17 balls from wicketkeeper Mohammad Ishaq alongside contributions from Mohammad Akram and captain Darwish Rasooli, to get Afghanistan over the line. That is a very different story to the one sided mismatch many previews assumed this group would produce, and it matters directly for how Nepal should be rated in Afghanistan vs Nepal today.
For the full tournament picture beyond this one match, our Asian Games 2026 cricket schedule and squads guide covers every group, venue and knockout fixture in full. Our Japan vs Afghanistan preview covers the full build up to that opening match in detail, useful context for exactly how Afghanistan’s campaign has started. ESPNcricinfo’s live scorecard has the full details of both squads and ball by ball updates as the match unfolds.
What Does a Win in Afghanistan vs Nepal Mean for Each Team?
For Afghanistan, a win all but locks up top spot in Group A before the final round of matches, and given the quarterfinal draw sends the group winner to face Sri Lanka while the runner up gets India, that placement carries real weight. Two wins from two matches also settles any lingering questions raised by the narrow margin against Japan, and gives the team a genuine rest day advantage heading into a knockout stage where fatigue could easily matter.
For Nepal, the stakes are steep from the first ball. Arriving with zero matches played means Nepal cannot afford a slow start the way a side with a banked win in hand can. A loss here leaves Nepal needing to beat Japan comfortably in their remaining group match while hoping results elsewhere break in their favor, a difficult position against a group containing a Full Member nation who has already shown they can be pushed.
There is also a squad management angle worth watching on the Afghanistan side. Winning a tight opener often tempts a team management into rotating personnel for the next match, resting a bowler who carried a heavy workload or giving a fringe player a look before the group stage ends. Whether Darwish Rasooli’s group sticks with the exact XI that ground out the Japan result, or makes even a single change, will say something about how much confidence that narrow win actually built inside the camp.
Have Afghanistan and Nepal Played Each Other Before?
These two sides do not share a long or recent head to head, but they have met before. In one of the few documented meetings between them, Nepal beat Afghanistan by 9 runs, a result that stands as a reminder that Nepal’s associate program has produced genuine upsets against Full Member opposition in the past, even if that particular result now sits well over a decade in the past.
What has changed most since then is Nepal’s own depth. This is a squad built around players with real recent volume against international bowling, not a side relying on a single historic result to justify its confidence. Afghanistan, for their part, remain the stronger side by ranking and overall squad quality, but the Japan result already showed that strength alone does not guarantee a comfortable afternoon at this tournament. The International Cricket Council published both squads in full when they were confirmed ahead of the tournament.
What Is the Probable Playing XI for Afghanistan vs Nepal?
Both squads give a clear sense of how each captain is likely to set up, with Afghanistan expected to make minimal changes after their opening win and Nepal naming a full strength side for their first match of the Games. Olympics.com’s tournament coverage has followed both squads through to this point of the competition.
Afghanistan probable XI: Hassan Eisakhil, Mohammad Akram, Darwish Rasooli (c), Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Mohammad Ishaq (wk), Ismat Alam, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Nangyal Kharoti, Arab Gul Momand, Farmanullah Safi
Nepal probable XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Kumar Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Kushal Malla, Aarif Sheikh, Gulsan Kumar Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi
Afghanistan’s XI stays close to unchanged from the win over Japan, a sign of a team management comfortable with the balance that got them over the line despite the slow start. Nepal’s side leans heavily on all round depth through the middle order, with Dipendra Singh Airee, Sompal Kami and Gulsan Kumar Jha all capable of contributing meaningfully with both bat and ball if the match becomes tight in the closing overs.
The contrast in bowling approach between the two sides is worth watching closely too. Afghanistan lean on genuine variety, a mix of pace options in Farmanullah Safi and Abdullah Ahmadzai alongside two contrasting spin options in Arab Gul Momand and Nangyal Kharoti. Nepal counter with arguably the most dangerous single bowling weapon on the park in Sandeep Lamichhane, backed by seam options in Sompal Kami and Karan KC who can also contribute runs lower down the order if needed.
Who Are the Key Players to Watch in Afghanistan vs Nepal?
| Team | Player | Season Form |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Darwish Rasooli | Captain with 201 runs across his last 10 T20I innings at a strike rate above 132, and the calm head who steadied the chase against Japan |
| Afghanistan | Mohammad Ishaq | His unbeaten 25 off 17 balls provided the decisive late impetus in the win over Japan |
| Afghanistan | Arab Gul Momand | Picked up 4 wickets at an economy of just 2 in his most recent outing, a genuinely eye catching return |
| Nepal | Kushal Bhurtel | Arrives with 518 runs across his last 10 matches at an average above 57 and a strike rate near 188, arguably the form batter in the entire tournament |
| Nepal | Sandeep Lamichhane | 13 wickets across his last 10 matches at an economy of 7, the leg spinner most likely to trouble Afghanistan’s middle order |
| Nepal | Dipendra Singh Airee | Captain with 264 runs at an average of 66 in his recent matches, the calmest presence in a Nepal side playing its tournament opener |
Who Are the Probable Best Performers of Afghanistan vs Nepal?
Best batter, Afghanistan: Darwish Rasooli. A captain already showing he can anchor an innings under pressure, exactly the role Afghanistan needed against Japan and will likely need again here.
Best bowler, Afghanistan: Arab Gul Momand. His most recent figures are the kind of form any bowler in this tournament would want walking into a contest against a top order as dangerous as Nepal’s.
Best batter, Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel. With the best recent numbers of any batter in either squad, he is the single biggest threat on the field in Afghanistan vs Nepal today.
Best bowler, Nepal: Sandeep Lamichhane. A wicket taking leg spinner with real volume behind his recent form, and the bowler most capable of unsettling Afghanistan’s middle order the way Japan’s tighter overs did in the tournament opener.
What Does the Pitch Report Say About Kōrogi Sports Park?
| Factor | Reading |
|---|---|
| Surface type | Specially prepared for this tournament, generally described as a good pace surface with even bounce |
| Boundary size | Compact, in line with a purpose built venue for a multi sport games |
| Scoring pattern | Afghanistan’s opener showed the pitch can slow scoring significantly through the middle overs |
| Afternoon slot | Same time slot as Hong Kong vs Malaysia earlier in the tournament, conditions that favored spin as the innings progressed |
The fact that Afghanistan, a genuinely strong batting side on paper, were held under six an over for fifteen overs against Japan tells you more about this surface than any generic pitch description could. Expect both Sandeep Lamichhane and Afghanistan’s own spin options to play a significant role in how today’s match unfolds through the middle overs.
Fantasy Cricket and Dream11 Tips for Afghanistan vs Nepal
- Captain pick: Kushal Bhurtel, given he arrives as arguably the form batter of the entire tournament.
- Vice captain pick: Darwish Rasooli, whose calm finish against Japan makes him a reliable points source under pressure.
- Value pick: Arab Gul Momand, likely underpriced relative to his recent bowling figures.
- Differential pick: Sandeep Lamichhane, a genuine wicket taking option against a top order that already showed vulnerability against spin and tight bowling in the opener.
Given how much the Japan match slowed down through the middle overs, bowlers who can control the pace of an innings look like better value than big name batters who may find scoring freely just as difficult as Afghanistan did in their first match. A Nepal batting lineup facing that kind of pressure for the first time this tournament, rather than a batting lineup already tested by it, is also worth weighing when deciding how much captaincy risk to take on Nepal’s top order.
Toss Prediction for Afghanistan vs Nepal
With the pitch already showing it can assist bowlers who hit good areas, expect both captains to lean toward bowling first if they win the toss, looking to apply the same pressure that worked for Japan in the tournament opener.
Weather
Late September in Aichi Prefecture typically brings mild, dry afternoon conditions, comfortable for a 2:00 PM start. No significant weather disruption is expected for Afghanistan vs Nepal.
Who Is Favored to Win Afghanistan vs Nepal?
| Factor | Advantage |
|---|---|
| Overall squad quality | Afghanistan, as the group’s strongest side on paper and by ranking |
| Recent individual form | Nepal, with Kushal Bhurtel arriving in exceptional touch |
| Match sharpness | Afghanistan, having already played one competitive match at this venue |
| Bowling depth | Even, both sides carry genuine wicket taking spin options |
Overall verdict: Afghanistan remain favorites given their overall squad quality and the fact they have already found a way to win once at this venue, but Nepal’s top order form, Kushal Bhurtel in particular, makes this a far closer contest than the group standings alone suggest. Expect a tighter match than a first glance at the table would predict, and do not be surprised if the result comes down to a handful of overs either side of the halfway mark rather than a comfortable finish for either team.
Where to Watch Afghanistan vs Nepal
| Region | Broadcast |
|---|---|
| India | Check official Asian Games broadcast partners closer to the match |
| Afghanistan and Nepal | Regional broadcast partners and national cricket association channels |
| Rest of world | Olympic Council of Asia and regional streaming platforms |
Afghanistan’s calendar does not slow down once this tournament ends either. Our Afghanistan vs Bangladesh UAE 2026 schedule guide covers the multi format assignment waiting for them just weeks after the Asian Games finishes. Elsewhere in the tournament, our Hong Kong vs Oman preview covers the other match played at this same ground today, in a Group B race that is shaping up just as tightly as this one.
FAQs About Afghanistan vs Nepal
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When and where is Afghanistan vs Nepal being played?
September 25, 2026, at Kōrogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, starting 2:00 PM local time, which is 10:30 AM IST.
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Who captains each side in Afghanistan vs Nepal?
Darwish Rasooli captains Afghanistan. Dipendra Singh Airee captains Nepal.
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How did Afghanistan get on in their opening match?
Afghanistan beat Japan, but it was a tighter contest than expected. Japan restricted them to under six runs an over for the first fifteen overs before a late unbeaten 25 from Mohammad Ishaq helped seal the win.
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Have Afghanistan and Nepal played each other before?
Yes, in one of their few documented meetings, Nepal beat Afghanistan by 9 runs, though that result is now well over a decade old and does not reflect either squad’s current form.
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Who is favored to win Afghanistan vs Nepal?
Afghanistan remain favorites on overall squad quality, but Nepal’s Kushal Bhurtel arrives in outstanding recent form, making this a genuinely competitive match rather than a formality.
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Who are the best Dream11 picks for Afghanistan vs Nepal?
Kushal Bhurtel and Darwish Rasooli are strong captaincy options, while Arab Gul Momand and Sandeep Lamichhane offer genuine bowling value from either side.
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Where can I watch Afghanistan vs Nepal live?
Coverage details are typically confirmed through official Asian Games broadcast partners and each cricket association’s own channels closer to the match.
Final Word
Afghanistan vs Nepal carries more genuine uncertainty than the Group A standings suggest on their own. Afghanistan proved in their opener that they can be pressured into a slow, tense chase, and Nepal arrive with the tournament’s most in form batter walking straight into their XI for the first time. Expect a match shaped by the middle overs, and expect whichever side controls the tempo there, rather than whoever simply has the bigger reputation, to walk away with the points that matter most heading into the final round of Group A.
If Nepal’s top order gets through the new ball the way Kushal Bhurtel’s recent form suggests they can, this could turn into one of the more memorable results of the group stage rather than a routine step for the tournament favorites.
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