Asian Games 2026: India’s medal prospects for September 22 in Aichi-Nagoya
India will aim to extend its medal haul at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya on Tuesday, September 22, with podium opportunities across cricket, shooting, wushu, swimming, fencing and karate following Day 2’s double podium in the men’s 10m air rifle and India’s first-ever MMA medal.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian women’s cricket team secured a place in the gold medal match after defeating Bangladesh by 114 runs in the semi-final, propelled by Shafali Verma’s century, and will face Sri Lanka for the title on September 22; the squad features Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma and enter the final as strong favourites to defend their crown.
India’s rifle shooters collected individual and team medals across the women’s and men’s 10m air rifle competitions in the opening two days, and Day 1 medallist Elavenil Valarivan will pair with Parth Rakesh Mane in the 10m air rifle mixed team event where qualification scoring must place them in the top four to reach the bronze and gold shootouts against opponents from China and South Korea.
The skeet competitions conclude on Tuesday with Anant Jeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmad Khan and Bhavtegh Singh Gill in the men’s event and Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal in the women’s; India have clinched medals so far which includes four silver and two bronze.
Wushu competitors include Langlentombi Devi Hanjabam in the combined Nanquan and Nandao routine, while Roshibina Devi and Aryan are one win away from assuring a medal as they contest the women’s 60kg and men’s 56kg quarter-finals respectively—Roshibina beat Shika Khatun in the previous round and will meet Macau’s Man Sin Chu, and Aryan, who defeated Shahzada Safi earlier, faces Saydullo Abdurashitov of Uzbekistan in the quarters. In karate, Chetan Bhatt received a bye into the semi-finals and is one victory from securing a first-ever medal for India in the sport; Alisha Choudhary must progress through a quarter-final to reach the medal rounds, and losing quarter-finalists may enter repechage bouts for a chance at bronze.
In the pool, distance specialist Aryan Nehra competes in the men’s 1,500m freestyle timed finals and the Indian men’s 4x100m medley relay team will race in the heats aiming for an evening final; on the piste Hemash Singh Sasam and Sachin contest the men’s foil individual while Tanishka Khatri and Prachi Lohan compete in the women’s epee individual, with the medal matches for these events scheduled on the same day as they seek to continue their decent run of form this year.
Both Indian men’s and women’s teams are a win away from securing at least a medal in their respective team events but must first overcome Japan to guarantee a podium finish; the men enter as reigning silver medallists and, if they defeat Japan, would face the winner between defending champions China and South Korea in the semi-finals. The men’s first knockout opponent on the day is South Korea, described in the source as the reigning eight-time silver medallist, while the women — seeded second — meet reigning bronze medallist Thailand in the round of 16; both Indian teams were eliminated by the same opponents at the previous edition.
Confirmed fixtures for September 22 include India facing Sri Lanka in the women’s cricket gold medal match, Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Rakesh Mane competing in the 10m air rifle mixed team event, the conclusion of the skeet events featuring Anant Jeet Singh Naruka, Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Bhavtegh Singh Gill, Maheshwari Chauhan, Raiza Dhillon and Parinaaz Dhaliwal, Langlentombi Devi Hanjabam’s combined Nanquan and Nandao routine, and Aryan Nehra in the men’s 1,500m freestyle along with India’s men’s 4x100m medley relay in the heats; India will also contest for medals in badminton and table tennis on Tuesday according to the source.
