Goa, Sept. 17 -- The Indian women's cricket team will begin its title defence at the Asian Games 2026 with a quarter-final clash against hosts Japan at the Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi on Friday.

The India-Japan quarter-final is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am IST, with live streaming and television coverage available for viewers in India.

India enter the knockout stage after a strong run of form, having recently secured a record-extending eighth Asia Cup title. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the Indian side, while Smriti Mandhana will serve as her deputy.

India are ranked third in the women's T20I rankings and are the highest-ranked team among the eight sides competing in the women's cricket tournament. The match will also mark the first-...