India vs Afghanistan ended without a ball being bowled on Monday, September 28, after persistent rain left the outfield at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, unplayable.
The abandoned Asian Games men’s cricket quarter-final sent defending champions India into the semifinals, while Afghanistan were eliminated from the tournament.
No toss took place before officials called off the match.
With no reserve day available for the quarter-final, the higher-ranked side advanced under the competition rules.
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India Vs Afghanistan: India advance after rain ruins quarter-final
India entered the knockout stage as one of the four seeded teams and had been scheduled to face Afghanistan after Afghanistan finished second in Group A.
Afghanistan’s route to the quarter-final included a win over Japan and a defeat to Nepal.
Nepal topped the group after its match against Japan was washed out, leaving Afghanistan to meet India in the last eight.
The match was scheduled for the afternoon at the Nisshin Cricket Ground, part of Korogi Sports Park.
However, continuing rain and the saturated playing surface prevented the game from starting.
India’s progression follows another weather-affected quarter-final earlier on September 28, when Pakistan advanced after its match against Hong Kong, China was also abandoned.
India’s gold-medal defence continues
India are defending the men’s cricket gold medal won at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
That final against Afghanistan was also abandoned because of rain, with India awarded the title as the higher-seeded team.
The latest washout means India have reached the last four in Aichi-Nagoya without playing a completed men’s Asian Games match in the knockout stage.
India’s squad is captained by Shreyas Iyer and includes Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi.
The team arrived in Japan after completing a 3-0 T20I series victory over Afghanistan in India earlier in September.
Abhishek Sharma was named player of that series after scoring 229 runs.
What happens next
India will play in the men’s cricket semifinal on October 1, with the opponent determined by the remaining quarter-final results.
The other side of the knockout draw features Sri Lanka against Nepal and Bangladesh against Malaysia.
Those quarter-finals are scheduled for September 29.
The bronze-medal and gold-medal matches are set for October 3.
The tournament is being played in the T20 format.
For Afghanistan, the washout brings an abrupt end to a campaign that began with a victory over the host nation.
The team had been one of the four sides seeking to join the seeded nations in the knockout stage.
India’s immediate challenge will be adapting to a compressed tournament schedule after repeated rain interruptions affected preparation and match opportunities in Nisshin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in India vs Afghanistan at the 2026 Asian Games?
The men’s cricket quarter-final was abandoned because rain left the outfield unplayable. No ball was bowled and there was no toss.
Why did India advance to the semifinal?
India progressed because the tournament’s knockout-stage rules send the higher-ranked side through when a quarter-final is abandoned without a result.
Did Afghanistan beat India in the match?
No. The match was abandoned without a result, so neither side recorded a win on the field.
When will India play its Asian Games cricket semifinal?
The men’s cricket semifinals are scheduled for October 1, 2026.
When are the Asian Games cricket medal matches?
The bronze-medal and gold-medal matches are scheduled for October 3, 2026.
Fact-Checked: Key match, schedule and tournament-status details were checked against ICC, Olympic Council of Asia and BCCI information, alongside current score reporting.
Disclaimer: The India-Afghanistan quarter-final produced no on-field score because it was abandoned before play began.