India have secured their place in the men’s cricket semifinals at the Asian Games 2026 after their second quarterfinal against Afghanistan in Nisshin was abandoned due to rain on Monday, September 28. The defending champions advanced to the last four based on their superior position in the ICC T20I rankings. India are currently ranked No. 1, while Afghanistan sit at No. 10. With persistent rain affecting Nagoya over the past few days, even a shortened contest was unlikely before the match was eventually washed out.
India will play the winner of the Nepal vs Sri Lanka quarterfinal in the second semifinal on Thursday, October 1. If that match is also abandoned because of rain, Sri Lanka will progress due to their higher ICC ranking and face India in the last four.
The weather could potentially have an even bigger impact on the Asian Games cricket tournament. If the remaining matches are completely washed out, India could potentially claim the gold medal based on their top ranking, depending on the competition’s applicable rules.
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The first quarterfinal between Pakistan and Hong Kong also ended without a result on Monday. Pakistan advanced to the semifinals because of their higher ICC ranking.
🚨 Match Abandoned 🚨
The #INDvAFG Asian Games 2026 Quarter-Final has been called off due to rain. #TeamIndia advance to the semi-final by virtue of higher seeding. #AsianGames
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 28, 2026
Should India and Pakistan both win their respective semifinal matches, the two sides will meet in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final on October 4. Pakistan will face the winner of Bangladesh vs Malaysia in the first semifinal, while India will take on the winner of Sri Lanka vs Nepal.
An India-Pakistan final would add another chapter to their recent rivalry. India have won all four of their T20I meetings against Pakistan over the past 13 months. Under captain Suryakumar Yadav, India defeated Pakistan three consecutive times in September 2025 during their successful Asia Cup campaign.
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India then continued their dominance with a 61-run victory over Pakistan in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group A clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on February 15, 2026.
