World T20 champions India on alert for Afghanistan after Japan scare

India captain Shreyas Iyer ruled out any complacency ahead of Monday's Asian Games quarter-finals against Afghanistan, conceding last week's scare against ​Japan had jolted the Twenty20 world champions out of any complacence.

In a ‌rain-hit match at Sano, India edged Japan in a five-over shootout to lift the Suzuki Cup in the maiden one-off meeting between the men's sides — a jolt that underlined the danger of underestimating ​any opponent in alien conditions.

India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are seeded ​directly into the last eight, while Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Hong ⁠Kong advanced from the preliminary groups.

With India's women having successfully defended their Asian Games ​title, attention now turns to Iyer's side to emulate them.

"Not just Afghanistan, no team ​can be taken lightly at any stage - just look at how tough Japan made it for us the other day," Iyer said on Sunday.

"The pitches here cannot be set to a certain ​standard, so to adapt is key. It will be challenging for all the teams."

Expectation ​remains sky-high for the sport's most followed team, and Iyer acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with ‌the ⁠jersey.

"Whenever you represent India, there are a lot of expectations, that you have to finish at the top. That is always there," Iyer said of the "good pressure".

"When there are expectations, you want to deliver. But I think we shouldn't think of the ​outcome too much. ​We have set ⁠a standard as a team, and we must try to transcend that in every match."

Preparation has been complicated by persistent rain ​at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, limiting India to only light ​work on ⁠Sunday, with the forecast uncertain for match day.

"We have to be mentally prepared irrespective of whatever the situation is going to be. We did get a decent chance ⁠to warm ​up and knock the ball around today, and ​now the task is to adapt quickly to the pitch," he said.

In Monday's other action, Pakistan face Hong ​Kong in the first quarter-final.