India, July 24 -- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been handed direct qualification to the knockout stage (quarter-finals) of the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games, with the remaining six teams set to compete in a preliminary round for the final four places. The draw for both the men's and women's cricket events was unveiled on Friday. The men's tournament will feature 10 teams, while eight sides will contest the women's competition.

India and Pakistan will face different opponents in the quarterfinals, so the marquee match between the two rivals can now take place only in the final. The Men in Blue will face either Bangladesh or China if they qualify for the last four, while Pakistan could face Sri Lanka in...