The weather in Japan has already rewritten the men’s cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games. It could yet set up the tournament’s most anticipated final.
Rain washed out all four men’s quarter-finals in Nisshin. India advanced after their game against Afghanistan was abandoned, while Pakistan progressed when their match against Hong Kong, China met the same fate. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh also moved through without a ball being bowled, with the higher-seeded teams advancing under the tournament rules.
That leaves the semi-final line-up: India vs Sri Lanka and Pakistan vs Bangladesh, both scheduled for October 1. The gold-medal match is set for October 3.
An India-Pakistan final is now possible
India and Pakistan were placed on opposite sides of the knockout draw, meaning they can meet only in a medal match. If both win their semi-finals, they will face each other for gold.
Rain, however, could again have a say.
Both teams benefited from washouts in the quarter-finals because they entered the knockout stage as higher-seeded sides. The same principle applies to the semi-finals: if either match is abandoned without a result, the higher-ranked side would advance. India and Pakistan therefore have a route to the final even without completing their semi-finals, depending on the applicable playing conditions.
Then comes the unusual twist
The 2026 competition has changed how a rain-affected final is handled compared with the 2023 Hangzhou Games.
Three years ago, India’s men’s final against Afghanistan was abandoned after rain, with India awarded gold because they were the higher-ranked side.
For 2026, reports on the revised regulations indicate that an abandoned gold-medal match could result in both finalists sharing the gold medal, rather than the higher-seeded team automatically taking the title.
That means the weather has already taken four knockout matches away from the competition. If India and Pakistan reach the final, it could potentially decide whether the tournament produces a contest, or two joint Asian Games champions.
The first step, however, comes on October 1: India face Sri Lanka, while Pakistan take on Bangladesh.
