India advance to Asian Games 2026 semi-finals after Afghanistan quarter-final washed out

India advanced to the men's cricket semi-finals of the Asian Games 2026 after their quarter-final against Afghanistan was abandoned without a single ball bowled on September 28 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.

Rain prevented any play throughout the day, forcing officials to call off the match entirely. The fixture had been scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM IST, which is 1:30 PM local time in Nisshin, but conditions never allowed play to commence at any point during the day.

Under Asian Games rules, when a knockout match is abandoned, the team ranked higher in the ICC Men's T20I rankings progresses to the next round. India, ranked No. 1 in the ICC Men's T20I rankings, advanced at the expense of Afghanistan, who are ranked No. 10. The ranking differential between the two sides meant there was no ambiguity in applying the rule, and India were confirmed as semi-finalists without stepping onto the field.

Pakistan into Asian Games 2026 semis after washout

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Pakistan into Asian Games 2026 semis after washout

What happened in the other quarter-final on September 28?

Pakistan also secured a place in the semi-finals on September 28 after their quarter-final against Hong Kong was similarly abandoned due to rain. The same ICC T20I rankings rule was applied, allowing Pakistan to progress without a ball being bowled in that fixture either.

Both India and Pakistan therefore advanced to the last four of the men's cricket tournament on the same day, with neither side required to take the field at Korogi Sports Park. It marked an unusual situation in which two quarter-finals on the same day were both washed out entirely, with the rankings-based rule determining both results.

The back-to-back abandonments meant that rain, rather than on-field performance, shaped the semi-final line-up on Day 9 of the Asian Games 2026. For Pakistan, the progression via rankings rather than on-field merit will offer little satisfaction, but the outcome is unambiguous under the tournament's governing regulations. Both sides now await their respective semi-final opponents, with the bracket set to be completed once the remaining quarter-final is concluded.

Who could India face in the semi-finals?

India's semi-final opponent will be determined by the outcome of the quarter-final between Sri Lanka and Nepal, which is scheduled for September 29. The winner of that fixture will go on to face India in the semi-finals, while the losing side will meet Pakistan in the other last-four tie.

Pakistan's semi-final opponent will therefore also emerge from the Sri Lanka versus Nepal contest, meaning both teams from that quarter-final will face one of the two South Asian giants in the last four. The bracket arrangement ensures that India and Pakistan cannot meet before the final, should both sides progress from their respective semi-finals. The exact dates and venues of the semi-finals and final had not been confirmed at the time of writing and have been omitted from this report as they were not available in the verified evidence.