Asian Games' cricket quarter-final gets abandoned due to rain, team India achieve automatic qualification

The Asian Games 2026 cricket campaign was all set to begin for the Indian men’s cricket team. The Men in Blue were slated to take on Afghanistan in the quarter-final of the event at the Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, on September 28. The side, led by Shreyas Iyer, hoped to put in a good show and make their way to the semi-final. However, due to weather interruptions, the game was abandoned without a ball being bowled. 

It is interesting to note that the weather in Japan has been quite adverse for cricket,



with several games facing interruptions; the clash between India and Afghanistan was washed out as well, even before the toss. As a result, the Indian team has qualified for the semi-final due to their higher T20I ranking, and Afghanistan has been knocked out. 

With automatic qualification secured, the Indian team will be taking on the winner of the fourth quarter-final between Sri Lanka and Nepal. Notably, the semi-final is slated for the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin as well on October 1.