India’s captain Shreyas Iyer has emphasized the importance of staying vigilant ahead of Monday’s Asian Games quarter-final clash against Afghanistan. The recent narrow victory over Japan served as a wake-up call for the reigning Twenty20 world champions, dispelling any sense of complacency.
In a rain-affected encounter at Sano, India managed to edge past Japan in a tense five-over shootout to claim the Suzuki Cup. This marked the first-ever meeting between the men’s teams of the two nations and highlighted the risks of underestimating opponents in unfamiliar conditions.
For the Asian Games cricket tournament, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka were seeded directly into the quarter-finals, while Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and Hong Kong advanced through preliminary rounds. With India’s women having successfully defended their title, the spotlight now shifts to Iyer’s squad to replicate that success.
“No team can be underestimated at any stage—not just Afghanistan,” Iyer remarked on Sunday. “Look at how challenging Japan made it for us recently. The pitches here vary greatly, so adapting quickly is crucial. This will be a challenge for all teams involved.”
Expectations remain exceptionally high for India, the sport’s most followed team. Iyer acknowledged the pressure that comes with wearing the national jersey. “Representing India always comes with high expectations to finish at the top. It’s a good kind of pressure,” he said. “When expectations are high, you want to perform well. However, we must focus on maintaining our standards and improving with every match rather than obsessing over outcomes.”
Preparation has been hindered by persistent rain at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, limiting the team to light training on Sunday. The weather forecast for match day remains uncertain.
“We have to be mentally ready regardless of the conditions. We managed to get some decent practice today, which helped us get a feel for the pitch. Now, the key is to adapt quickly,” Iyer added.
In other quarter-final action scheduled for Monday, Pakistan will take on Hong Kong.
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