All four seeded teams advance after rain washes out every quarter-final without a ball being bowled
Pakistan will face Bangladesh while India take on Sri Lanka in the men’s cricket semi-finals at the 2026 Asian Games, after all four quarter-finals in Nisshin were abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The four pre-tournament seeded teams have consequently advanced to the last four, with none of the semi-finalists having played a single delivery in the tournament so far.
Pakistan will meet Bangladesh at 9am local time on Thursday (1), before India face Sri Lanka at 2pm.
Rain Disrupts Entire Knockout Stage
All four quarter-finals were washed out because of persistent rain, meaning the teams that topped the seeding system progressed directly to the semi-finals.
Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Hong Kong, who advanced from the group stage, therefore finish their campaigns with one win, one defeat and one washout each.
Nisshin will remain the venue for the semi-finals and the two medal matches, with the third-place playoff and final scheduled for Saturday.
Higher Seeds Hold Advantage
There is still some threat of rain on Thursday, although the forecast is expected to improve compared with the conditions that disrupted the quarter-finals.
If either semi-final ends in a tie, a Super Over will determine the winner. However, if weather prevents the semi-final or a Super Over from being completed, the higher-seeded team will advance to the final.
That gives Pakistan the seeding advantage against Bangladesh, while India hold the higher seeding against Sri Lanka.
If the gold-medal match itself is washed out and cannot be completed, the two finalists will share the gold medal.
Semi-Final Line-Up
The first semi-final will see Pakistan take on Bangladesh at 9am, followed by India against Sri Lanka at 2pm.
With all four teams yet to take the field in the competition, Thursday’s semi-finals will be their first opportunity to contest a match at the Asian Games.
The winners will advance to Saturday’s gold-medal match, while the losing teams will meet in the third-place playoff.
