NAGOYA: Arch-rivals Pakistan and India remained on course for a possible showdown in the Asian Games men’s cricket final after their respective quarter-finals were abandoned on Monday due to persistent rain and a waterlogged outfield.
Pakistan were the first to advance after their quarter-final against Hong Kong was called off without a ball being bowled. Under competition regulations, Pakistan progressed to the next stage as the higher-seeded team.
A few hours later, India also advanced after their quarter-final against Afghanistan suffered the same fate, with rain and poor ground conditions leaving no possibility of play at Korogi Athletic Park.
The washout disappointed spectators hoping to see India’s 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action. The teenager entered the tournament after topping the batting charts in the T20 Indian Premier League earlier this year.
Afghanistan’s Mohammad Akram expressed disappointment over the abandonment, saying his team had been looking forward to facing India after gaining experience of the conditions during two previous matches at the venue.
“We are here for the match, but unfortunately it rained,” Akram said. “We would have been happy to play here with India — our players are in form.”
He said Afghanistan had become familiar with the ground conditions but persistent rain ultimately ended their hopes of progressing.
“We played two matches here on this ground, so we know the condition very well. But unfortunately, the rain has ruined everything,” he added.
Akram said the players had been monitoring the weather forecast on their mobile phones and were disappointed when it became apparent that the match could not take place.
Attention will now turn to the remaining two quarter-finals scheduled for Tuesday, with Sri Lanka facing Nepal and Bangladesh taking on Malaysia, subject to weather conditions.
With Pakistan and India both advancing, the possibility of another high-profile cricket encounter between the traditional rivals remains alive as the Asian Games tournament moves towards its decisive stages.
