Asian Games 2026 Cricket Venue Korogi Sports Park Rain Washout Matches(AI Image)
Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket: Heavy Rain Washes Out Group Stage Final, Knockout Fixtures & Rules Confirmed
NISSHIN, JAPAN — Persistent precipitation over the Aichi Prefecture delivered a damp end to the group stage of the Asian Games 2026 Men's T20 Cricket competition. Both scheduled Match 5 and Match 6 at the Korogi Sports Park were officially abandoned due to rain and unplayable field conditions, forcing tournament officials to award one point to each competing nation.
In the morning fixture, Nepal reached 149/4 in 15 overs against hosts Japan before continuous downpours brought play to a final stop. The afternoon match between Malaysia and Oman suffered an even worse fate, abandoned without a single ball bowled.
Despite the rain-interrupted finish, the split points solidified the final standings for Groups A and B. Nepal (Group A toppers) and Malaysia (Group B toppers) advance alongside runners-up Afghanistan and Hong Kong, China. These four qualifying teams now join the direct-seeded Asian heavyweights—India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—in a high-stakes quarter-final line-up.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket Final Points Table
| Rank | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇳🇵 Nepal | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | +0.842 | Qualified (A1) |
| 2 | 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +0.846 | Qualified (A2) |
| 3 | 🇯🇵 Japan | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -2.400 | Eliminated |
Group B
| Rank | Team | P | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | +2.950 | Qualified (B1) |
| 2 | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong, China | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | -0.075 | Qualified (B2) |
| 3 | 🇴🇲 Oman | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -2.050 | Eliminated |
Quarter-Final Schedule & IST Match Timings
All knockout matches will take place at the Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin. Weather forecasts across Aichi Prefecture remain a primary concern for ground staff and team strategists heading into the elimination rounds.
1st Quarter-Final: Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China
- Match Start Time: 5:30 AM IST (09:00 AM Local Japan Time)
2nd Quarter-Final: India vs Afghanistan
- Match Start Time: 10:00 AM IST (01:30 PM Local Japan Time)
Tuesday, September 29, 2026
3rd Quarter-Final: Sri Lanka vs Nepal
- Match Start Time: 5:30 AM IST (09:00 AM Local Japan Time)
4th Quarter-Final: Bangladesh vs Malaysia
- Match Start Time: 10:00 AM IST (01:30 PM Local Japan Time)
Match Preview: India vs Afghanistan (2nd Quarter-Final)
Defending champions India make their tournament entry against Afghanistan in the marquee match of the quarter-final round. While India enter as gold-medal favorites with immense batting depth, Afghanistan have already adapted to local conditions during the group stage.
Pitch & Weather Conditions
The hybrid pitch at Korogi Sports Park offers good early bounce for seamers, while the damp soil from persistent rains allows spinners to grip and turn the ball in the middle overs. High humidity (75%–95%) and intermittent rain probabilities (50%–70%) make winning the toss crucial—expect the captain who wins the toss to bowl first to take advantage of atmospheric moisture and calculate DLS targets.
Predicted Playing XIs
- India Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi.
- Afghanistan Predicted XI: Hassan Eisakhil, Faisal Khan, Darwish Rasooli (C), Mohammad Ishaq (WK), Najibullah Zadran, Karim Janat, Nangeyalia Kharote, Ismat Alam, Faridoon Dawoodzai, Abdullah Ahmadzai, Arab Gul.
Asian Games Rain Regulations & Tournament Rules
Given the lingering weather threat over Nisshin, understanding the tournament's playing conditions and rain regulations is essential.
1. Quarter-Final Washout Regulations
- Minimum Threshold: A minimum of 5 overs per side is required to constitute a valid T20 result (using DLS if interrupted).
- No Reserve Days: The early knockout stages do not feature reserve days.
- Higher-Seed Advantage: If a Quarter-Final is completely washed out without a result, the higher-seeded team automatically advances to the Semi-Finals (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh hold this safety net).
2. Semi-Finals & Medal Match Rules
- Semi-Final Washouts: If a semi-final cannot be completed, the higher-seeded team or higher group stage finisher advances to the Gold Medal Match.
- Bronze Medal Match: If washed out, both losing semi-finalists are awarded Joint Bronze Medals.
- Gold Medal Match: If the final is completely abandoned, both teams are declared co-champions and share the Gold Medal.
- Tie-Breakers: Tied matches in knockouts are decided by a Super Over. If a Super Over ends in a tie, consecutive Super Overs will be played until a winner emerges.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which teams qualified for the Asian Games 2026 Men's Cricket quarter-finals?
👉 Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, China qualified through the preliminary group matches. They join the four directly seeded nations: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
When and where is the India vs Afghanistan Asian Games Quarter-Final match?
👉 The 2nd Quarter-Final between India and Afghanistan takes place on Monday, September 28, 2026, starting at 10:00 AM IST at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.
What happens if an Asian Games cricket knockout match is washed out?
👉 In the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals, if a match is abandoned completely without achieving the minimum 5-over criteria, the higher-seeded team automatically advances. For the Gold Medal Match, rain abandonment results in shared gold medals.
Asian Games 2026 Cricket, Asian Games Cricket Points Table, India vs Afghanistan Quater Final Asian Games
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