India walk into the Nagoya Asian Games as the undisputed favorites, yet the Asian Games gold medal feels almost secondary to the looming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket hasn't appeared at the Games since Paris in 1900—a 128-year gap that makes this next chapter historic. For Harmanpreet Kaur and her squad, the immediate task is defending the crown won in Hangzhou in 2022, but the eyes are firmly fixed on the West Coast.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar called the current tournament a "teaser" for the Olympic quest. He emphasized the logistical challenge of touring to a different part of the world, noting that adapting to these conditions now will be vital for the LA assignment. "We are getting used to certain things at the Asian Games," Muzumdar said. "Touring to a different part of the world for this — we’ll do the same in LA — will be a different experience for most of us."
Harmanpreet Kaur echoed her coach, stating the team will adopt the same mindset that secured gold four years ago. The squad starts from zero, respecting every opponent while aiming solely for the top spot. Their first hurdle is hosts Japan, facing them in the quarterfinals at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin City on Friday.
Drama unfolded elsewhere as well. China’s campaign ended without a single ball bowled. Their quarterfinal against Bangladesh was abandoned after delays, sending Bangladesh through to the semifinals based on their higher ranking. Bangladesh will now face the winner of India-Japan. Meanwhile, Pakistan survived a scare to beat Thailand by three wickets in a low-scoring contest, securing their spot in the last four.
The stakes are high, and the path to the final is tightening. India must navigate the quarterfinals before turning their full attention to the Olympic build-up that will define the next decade of the sport.