The India vs Afghanistan quarter-final at the Asian Games 2026 has been abandoned due to persistent rain, with not a single ball being bowled at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The washout means India have advanced directly to the men’s cricket semi-finals.
The match was scheduled for Monday, September 28, as India began its campaign in the tournament. However, continued rain and a wet outfield prevented play from getting underway. The match was ultimately called off without a result.
India Advance To Semi-Finals After Washout
With the quarter-final unable to produce a result, India progressed to the last four under the Asian Games tournament rules. The higher-ranked team advances when a knockout match is abandoned because of rain.
India entered the competition with the higher ICC T20I ranking compared with Afghanistan, which gave them the advantage in the event of a complete washout.
No Reserve Day For Quarter-Final
The weather became a major factor because there was no reserve day available for the quarter-final. Persistent rain at the venue had already raised concerns about the possibility of the match being abandoned before the scheduled start.
The conditions at Korogi Sports Park remained unsuitable for play, with the outfield too wet to allow the game to begin.
India To Play Semi-Final On October 1
India will now play in the men's cricket semi-final on October 1. The team will face the winner of the other relevant quarter-final, with the semi-final lineup determined after the remaining knockout matches are completed.
The washout means India have moved into the semi-finals without playing a match in the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Does Not Get To Make Debut
Young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is part of India's Asian Games squad, was among the players in contention for a place in the playing XI. However, with the quarter-final abandoned without a ball being bowled, there was no opportunity for him to make his Asian Games debut.
India's squad for the tournament is led by Shreyas Iyer, with players including Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yash Thakur.
