- Pakistan advanced to Asian Games semifinals due to rain.
- Pakistan progressed based on their superior T20I ranking.
- They now face winner of Bangladesh/Malaysia semifinal.
Asian Games Cricket: Pakistan have marched into the semifinals of the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket tournament without facing a single delivery after relentless rain wiped out their quarterfinal against Hong Kong in Nisshin on Monday. The first knockout game of the tournament was abandoned without a toss at Korogi Sports Park, leaving Pakistan to progress automatically on the basis of their superior ICC T20I ranking. Hong Kong’s campaign, meanwhile, ended without the team getting an opportunity to put up a challenge.
Pakistan’s Quarterfinal Never Gets Underway
Persistent showers had already disrupted preparations around the venue, and the conditions eventually made any restart impossible.
Officials called off the contest without a ball being bowled, sending Pakistan straight into the last four.
Read More: Who Is The Best ODI Batsman In The World? Virat Kohli Has His Answer
Pakistan had entered the knockout stage directly alongside India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, while Hong Kong earned their quarterfinal place after finishing second in Group B.
The two sides had previously met in the 2022 Asia Cup and the 2023 Asian Games, with Pakistan winning both encounters.
Pakistan’s Next Challenge Revealed
Pakistan will now play the winner of the quarterfinal between Bangladesh and Malaysia in the semifinal on October 1.
The bronze-medal match and gold-medal final are scheduled for October 3.
The washout means Pakistan’s new-look side, led by Sahibzada Farhan, will have to wait a little longer for its first competitive match at the Games.
There was further concern over the weather later in the day, with rain also delaying the start of India’s quarterfinal against Afghanistan at the same venue. The India-Afghanistan match is the second quarterfinal of the day, with the toss delayed amid the wet conditions.
For Pakistan, however, the outcome is already settled. They are through to the semifinals, without having to take the field in the quarterfinal at all.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
