There will be no match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the early stages of the Nagoya Asian Games, as is normally the case in other competitions, but when and if it happens, it will carry added significance. The blockbuster clash will be a medal contest.

There is always a chance that the two neighbours, the top two seeded sides in the men’s competition, may not cross paths at all. But should they meet eventually, it can only be in the gold-medal match or the bronze-medal play-off. The draw follows the same pattern in the women’s event too.

The Asian Games will be held from September 19 to October 4, with cricket being played from September 17 to October 3 beginning with women’s matches (final on September 22) followed by men’s. There are 10 teams in the men’s competition and eight in the women’s event.

India men's team, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, has been seeded directly into the quarterfinals, while the remaining six sides, including Afghanistan, will have to go through the group stage. India will play in Quarterfinal 2 and Pakistan are placed in Quarterfinal 1, with both matches scheduled for September 28. Their opponents will be the sides that qualify from the group stage.

The semifinal line-up is such that the winners of Quarterfinal 2 (likely India) will face the winners of Quarterfinal 3, while the winners of Quarterfinal 1 (likely Pakistan) will take on the winners of Quarterfinal 4. Both semifinals are scheduled for October 1.

This means the traditional rivals can clash only in the gold-medal match or the third-place play-off for the bronze medal, with both matches scheduled for October 3. Apart from Afghanistan, Nepal, Hong Kong, China, Japan, Malaysia and Oman will feature in the group stage.

In the women’s competition, India are the top-seeded side, while Pakistan are No. 4 in the Games, behind Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. But the draw is such that India face Japan in the quarterfinal, and if they progress to the semifinal, they will meet either Bangladesh or Hong Kong, China.

Pakistan, on the other hand, face Thailand in their quarterfinal clash. Should they progress, they will face either Sri Lanka or Malaysia. A potential India-Pakistan clash, therefore, can only take place in the final or the bronze-medal play-off, which is scheduled for September 22.

All cricket matches will be played at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya.The competition will be in T20 format, and India have already announced the squads under Shreyas Iyer and Harmanpreet Kaur.