&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Asian Games 2026: India, Pakistan through to semis without playing a ball - setup for a blockbuster final?")
India and Pakistan, two of the four seeded teams in Asian Games men's cricket, have made it through to the semis without having to bat or bowl a single ball. Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong in the quarter-final and India was up against Afghanistan on Monday (Sep 28) at Nisshin, but the matches were abandoned without a ball being bowled. Pakistan will now play the winners of the fourth quarter-final, to be played between Bangladesh and Malaysia, on Thursday (Oct 1), and India will play the winner of Nepal vs Sri Lanka, also on Thursday (Oct 1).
Why India and Pakistan advanced after rain washed out Asian Games QFs
Hong Kong made it to the quarter-finals after finishing in the top two of Group B, which also had Malaysia and Oman. Pakistan, meanwhile, was given direct entry into the QFs along with India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka based on their rankings. India, meanwhile, was scheduled to play Afghanistan, who qualified through Group A along with Nepal.
As per the Asian Games 2026 playing conditions, in case of a washout, the team with the higher ICC ranking advances to the next round; hence Pakistan, which ranks higher than Hong Kong, and India, which is placed above Afghanistan, made it to the semis despite the matches being abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Will Pakistan face India in the Asian Games?
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India vs Pakistan is always a contest for which billions wait across the world. The scheduling of the Asian Games, however, leaves fans hoping for too many things to go their way for an India vs Pakistan match. The arch-rivals were given direct entry into the quarter-finals along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where Pakistan was scheduled to play Hong Kong and India was slated to play against Afghanistan.
In the semis, Pakistan will play the winner of Bangladesh vs Malaysia, and India will face the winner of Sri Lanka vs Nepal. The two teams will face off in the final only if both of them manage to win their respective semis. The final is scheduled to be played on Saturday (Oct 3).
