Rain has washed out all four men’s cricket quarter-finals at the Asian Games in Japan, and more bad weather could leave Pakistan and India sharing the gold medal.
Officials abandoned the four quarter-finals at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin without a ball bowled. India’s match against Afghanistan and Pakistan’s match against Hong Kong washed out on Monday, September 28. Sri Lanka’s match against Nepal and Bangladesh’s match against Malaysia washed out on Tuesday, September 29.
When rain abandons a knockout match, the higher-seeded team advances through. The tournament bases seeding on ICC T20I rankings. India rank first, Pakistan sixth, Bangladesh eighth and Sri Lanka ninth. Afghanistan rank tenth and Hong Kong 24th. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh therefore reached the semi-finals.
India will face Sri Lanka and Pakistan will face Bangladesh in the semi-finals on October 1. If rain washes out either semi-final, the higher-seeded team will move into the final. That would put India and Pakistan in the gold medal match.
The final takes place on October 3 at Korogi Sports Park. A match needs at least five overs per side to produce a result. If the teams bowl fewer, the match ends as a no result.
According to reports, the Asian Games changed its rule for 2026, so a completely washed-out final gives both finalists a gold medal.
At the 2023 Games in Hangzhou, India took gold and Afghanistan took silver after rain washed out the final, because India held the higher seeding.
