NISSHIN, Japan — Afghanistan’s Asian Games men’s cricket campaign ended without a ball being bowled in their quarter-final against India after persistent rain left the Korogi Athletic Park field unplayable.
With no reserve day available, India advanced to the semi-finals because of their higher international ranking. Afghanistan were eliminated despite arriving at the knockout stage after completing two group matches.
The outcome carries particular frustration for Afghanistan. At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, rain also prevented the men’s final against India from being completed, and India received the gold medal on the same ranking-based rule while Afghanistan took silver.
Afghanistan had opened this year’s tournament with a 48-run victory over hosts Japan before losing to Nepal by five wickets. That left the team second in Group A and produced a quarter-final against one of the four seeded sides.
The match was scheduled for Monday at Korogi Athletic Park, but a saturated outfield prevented play. Pakistan’s quarter-final against Hong Kong was abandoned in the same conditions, with Pakistan also progressing because of their superior ranking.
Further rain on Tuesday caused the remaining quarter-finals involving Sri Lanka and Nepal, and Bangladesh and Malaysia, to be abandoned. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced under the same competition rule.
The weather disruption leaves Afghanistan without an opportunity to test a young squad against the reigning world champions and ends a run of three consecutive Asian Games silver medals in men’s cricket.
Sources: Reuters — rain-hit Asian Games scheduling disruption; Reuters — continued cricket washouts; Aichi-Nagoya 2026 official results.
