Nisshin, September 27, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India captain Shreyas Iyer said the team will focus on maintaining its internal standards rather than obsessing over results when it faces Afghanistan in the Asian Games men’s T20 quarter-final on Monday.
Shreyas acknowledged that representing India brings the expectation of winning the gold medal, but said the pressure should be viewed positively.
“Whenever you represent India, you have to have expectations of finishing on top. That is a good pressure as expectations happen when you want to deliver good results,” Shreyas said at a press conference at Korogi Sports Park on Sunday.
“But at the same time, I think we should not think about outcomes – instead, we think about the standard set as a team and try to transcend that in every match,” he added.
India enter the competition as defending champions, while Shreyas said the growing competitiveness among teams is a positive development for the sport.
“Every match is important for us because you get practice from every match and you get opportunities to play against new teams. So, cricket is growing and competition is increasing and it’s good for cricket overall,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of adapting to conditions in the tournament, saying teams including Japan have provided competition on wickets that may not conform to a particular standard.
“It will be challenging for sure and is difficult for each team. So the team which will play well, will definitely win and we will go into the match from that point of view,” he said.
Leading India in Nagoya, Shreyas described captaining the side at the Asian Games as an honour and expressed pride in being part of a wider Indian contingent competing across sports.
“It’s an honour to be representing India in Asian Games and captaining it at the same time. I feel there are talented bunch of athletes who have come representing different sports,” he said.
Shreyas also revealed that the Indian cricket team had hoped to watch squash player Anahat Singh’s gold medal match but could not attend because of training commitments.
“Our support is there for each individual who represents the country, or try to get the gold medal and will put in the effort for the same,” he said.
The India captain also praised Japan’s hospitality, discipline and the organisation of the Asian Games, describing the experience of competing alongside athletes from across the continent as a special opportunity.
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