Afghanistan face Hong Kong at Korogi Athletic Park (5,000 capacity) in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, on September 25, 2026, with first ball at 9:00 AM JST (UTC+9) in Preliminary Round, Group A of Cricket at the 2026 Asian Games. Afghanistan enter this match having already played Nepal on opening day, making it a quick turnaround in a condensed schedule.

Afghanistan are ranked among the top Associate nations in world cricket and have competitive experience at T20 World Cup level. Hong Kong have shown improvement at regional Asian tournaments in recent years, with a core of locally developed players supplemented by internationally based talent. The gap in experience between the two sides makes this a match where Afghanistan will be favourites.

Korogi Athletic Park is a 5,000-capacity venue in Nisshin, east of Nagoya, converted from a baseball facility into a purpose-built cricket ground for the 2026 Asian Games. The facility is designed as a lasting legacy for Japanese cricket after the Games conclude.

A 9:00 AM JST first ball translates to 5:30 AM IST in India, 12:00 AM GMT in London (midnight), 11:00 AM AEST in Sydney, and 8:00 PM EDT the previous evening in New York.

The Group A table will begin to take shape after the second round of preliminary matches on September 25. With each team playing twice in the preliminary phase, goal difference and net run rate could determine which nations advance to the quarterfinals alongside the group winner. In a compact format, one decisive result can change the entire standings.

Cricket at the 2026 Asian Games is played in T20I format. The four seeded nations, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, await the Group A and Group B qualifiers in the quarterfinals, which begin on September 28.

For timezone conversions, check Japan time, Afghanistan time, and Hong Kong time.