Shreyas Iyer & Team Advance to Asian Games 2026 Semifinals After Rainout

India has advanced to the semifinals of the men's cricket competition at the 2026 Asian Games. This development follows a rain washout of the quarterfinal match against Afghanistan on September 28, 2026, at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. According to Hindustan Times , persistent heavy rainfall prevented play.

Reason for Advance

Under the tournament rules, which do not provide a reserve day for quarterfinals, the team with the higher ICC T20I ranking advances in the event of a complete washout. At the time of the match, India ranked No. 1 in the ICC T20I rankings, while Afghanistan ranked 10th. Thus, India advanced to the semifinal round, similar to the 2022 Asian Games final outcome.

Event Circumstances

The match was scheduled to start at 10:30 AM IST, but was abandoned before a single ball was bowled due to the continuous downpour and poor conditions, including insufficient drainage and light, as noted by Sports Adda . The absence of floodlights further added to the decision to call off the match.

Heading to Semifinals

As defending gold medalists, India, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, received direct entry to the quarterfinals. As a result, India did not play any group stage matches. The quarterfinal against Afghanistan was their first scheduled match of the tournament.

Detailed analysis and future steps for India's campaign at the Asian Games can be further explored on the Indian Era .