New Delhi, July 24 -- The men's cricket team of India has secured direct entry into the knockout stage of the 2026 Asian Games.

Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also sealed direct qualification for the knockout stage of the 2026 Asian Games.

While Afghanistan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal and Oman will compete in the preliminary round for the remaining spots.

The draws and groups for both the men's and women's cricket tournaments were announced on Thursday. The men's competition will feature 10 teams, while the women's event will see eight sides battle for the title, as per ESPNcricinfo.

The women's tournament will start with the quarter-final fixtures: India vs Japan, Bangladesh vs China, Sri Lanka vs Malaysia and Pakista...