The much-awaited India-Pakistan cricket clash at the 2026 Asian Games has fans eagerly waiting, but the two countries will meet in another sport even before they face each other on the cricket field.

This time, the action will unfold on the squash court.

India's star squash player Abhay Singh has booked his place in the men's singles semifinals, where he will face Pakistan's Ashab Irfan. The highly anticipated semifinal is set to take place on Saturday.

Abhay Singh Storms Into the Semifinals

Abhay produced a strong performance in the men's singles quarterfinal, defeating Japan's opponent 3-0 to secure his place in the last four.

The victory also guaranteed him a medal, as both semifinalists are assured of a podium finish.

However, Abhay's campaign is far from over. His next challenge will be Pakistan's Ashab Irfan, who also advanced to the semifinals after defeating India's Veer Chotrani.

With an India-Pakistan contest now set, the squash court will witness one of the most closely followed matchups of the Games.

India-Pakistan Clash Before Cricket

While cricket remains the biggest attraction whenever India and Pakistan meet, this squash semifinal gives fans another opportunity to watch athletes from the two countries compete against each other.

The match between Abhay and Ashab will determine who advances to the men's singles final and gets a chance to fight for the gold medal.

Anahat Singh Also Reaches the Semifinals

India's strong showing in squash has not been limited to the men's singles event.

Young Indian star Anahat Singh also secured her place in the women's singles semifinals. She defeated fellow Indian player Tanvi Khanna 3-0 in the quarterfinal.

The victory guaranteed Anahat a medal and kept her gold-medal campaign alive.

More Squash Medals for India

India also made progress in the mixed doubles competition.

Joshna Chinappa and Velavan Senthilkumar defeated their opponents from the Philippines to book a place in the mixed doubles semifinals.

Their victory means India has several strong medal opportunities in squash at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

All Eyes on Saturday's Semifinal

For Indian sports fans, the Abhay Singh vs Ashab Irfan semifinal will be one of the key squash contests to watch.

Before the much-anticipated India-Pakistan cricket encounter, the two countries will first meet on the squash court.

The question now is who will make it through to the final and take another step toward Asian Games gold.