India are through to the Asian Games semi-finals of the men’s cricket tournament. Their quarter-final against Afghanistan was abandoned because of rain. The match was called off 16 minutes before the toss. The outfield in Nisshin was too wet for play.
No ball was bowled. So the result was decided by seeding. India were the higher-seeded team. That came from their ICC T20I ranking. Afghanistan were the lower seed. So India advanced, and Afghanistan were eliminated.
This is the second Asian Games in a row where Afghanistan have exited because of a washout against India. In 2023 at Hangzhou, they reached the final. That match was also washed out. India were declared winners because they were the higher seed. Afghanistan had to settle for silver.
India will now play in the second semi-final on Thursday. Their opponent will be the winner of the Nepal vs Sri Lanka quarter-final. That match is on Tuesday. If that game is also washed out, Sri Lanka will go through. Sri Lanka are one of the four seeded teams. The others are India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Earlier on Monday, the first quarter-final between Hong Kong and Pakistan was also abandoned before the toss. Pakistan advanced because of their higher seeding.
So both of Monday’s quarter-finals were decided by rain, not cricket. India and Pakistan are now in the semi-finals. Afghanistan and Hong Kong are out. The tournament continues to be affected by bad weather in Japan.
Pakistan Advance After Rain Washes Out Quarter-Final Against Hong Kong
Pakistan are through to the Asian Games semi-finals of the men’s cricket event. Their quarter-final against Hong Kong was abandoned because of rain. Not a single ball was bowled. The match was called off at the toss. Heavy showers in Nisshin left the ground too wet for play. Much of the field stayed under covers all day.
With no result possible, the tournament rules decided the outcome. Pakistan were the higher-ranked team in the ICC rankings. So they moved on, and Hong Kong were knocked out.
Pakistan were one of the four seeded sides that went straight into the quarter-finals. The others were India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Hong Kong had to earn their place. They finished second in Group B. They beat Malaysia by eight wickets. They lost to Oman by 41 runs. That was enough to reach the last eight.
This match would have been the third T20I between Pakistan and Hong Kong. They had met twice before. Pakistan won both times. One was at the 2022 Asia Cup. The other was at the 2023 Asian Games.
Pakistan will now play in the semi-finals on Thursday. Their opponent will be the winner of the fourth quarter-final between Bangladesh and Malaysia. That match is also at risk of being affected by the weather.
Asian Games 2026: India and Pakistan Advance to Semi-Finals
The men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games has been hit hard by rain. Two quarter-finals on September 28 were called off without a single ball being bowled. The first was Pakistan against Hong Kong. The second was India against Afghanistan.
In the India match, the toss had not even taken place. Officials stopped it 16 minutes before the scheduled start. The outfield was wet, and rain was still falling. Conditions never improved enough to play.
When a knockout match cannot be played, the tournament rules decide who moves on. The team with the higher ICC T20I ranking advances. Pakistan are ranked 6th, so they went through. India are ranked 1st, so they also advanced. Hong Kong and Afghanistan were eliminated.
The semi-finals are set for October 1. Pakistan will face the winner of Bangladesh vs Malaysia. That quarter-final has not been decided yet. India will play the winner of Sri Lanka vs Nepal. That match is also still pending.
The final and the bronze medal match will both be played on October 3.
FAQs
Q. Why did India reach the Asian Games semi-finals?
A. Their quarter-final against Afghanistan was washed out by rain.
Q. Why did India advance after the washout?
A. India were the higher-seeded team.
Q. Who will India face in the semi-final?
A. They will face the winner of Nepal vs Sri Lanka.
Q. Why did Pakistan reach the semi-finals?
A. Their quarter-final against Hong Kong was also abandoned.
Q. Which teams were eliminated after Monday’s washouts?
A. Afghanistan and Hong Kong were eliminated.
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