World T20 champions India on alert for Afghanistan after Japan scare

NAGOYA: India's cricket team, reigning T20 champions, are not taking any chances as they prepare for Monday's Asian Games quarter-finals against Afghanistan. The possibility of complacency was swiftly erased after a recent scare against Japan, which prompted the side to reassess their approach to any match. While India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are directly seeded into the quarter-finals, the preliminary groups saw Afghanistan, Nepal, Malaysia, and Hong Kong advance.

India captain Shreyas Iyer emphasized the need to remain vigilant against all opponents, noting that "no team can be taken lightly at any stage - just look at how tough Japan made it for us the other day." He also highlighted the challenge posed by the unpredictable pitches, stating that "the pitches here cannot be set to a certain standard, so to adapt is key."

Iyer acknowledged the immense pressure on the team, given India's high expectations, but urged them to focus on delivering rather than the outcome. "Whenever you represent India, there are a lot of expectations, that you have to finish at the top. That is always there," he said, adding, "We must try to transcend that in every match."

The team's preparation has been hampered by persistent rain at the venue, limiting India to only light practice on Sunday. However, they managed to warm up and work on their batting skills despite the adverse conditions, with the hope of quickly adapting to the pitch on match day.