All four quarter-final matches in the men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games in Hangzhou were abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain. As a result, the top four teams from the group stage, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, advanced directly to the semi-finals.
Both semi-finals are scheduled to be played on October 1 in Hangzhou. Pakistan will face Bangladesh in the first semi-final at 9:00 a.m., while India will take on Sri Lanka in the second semi-final at 2:00 p.m.
According to the tournament regulations, if weather conditions prevent either semi-final from being completed and a Super Over is also not possible, Pakistan and India will advance to the final based on their superior positions in the group-stage standings. The final is scheduled for October 3. If the final is also washed out and cannot be played, both finalists will be declared joint winners and awarded gold medals.
Bangladesh will enter the semi-final aiming to maintain its recent momentum, with Tanzid Hasan and Towhid Hridoy expected to play important roles with the bat. Experienced campaigner Litton Das will lead the side and provide stability at the top of the order.
Pakistan will look to captain Sahibzada Farhan for an aggressive start. Hasan Nawaz and Usman Khan are expected to provide further strength in the middle and lower order, while Muaz Sadaqat, Saim Ayub and Arafat Minhas give Pakistan additional batting options.
With the ball, Bangladesh are expected to rely on their spin options, including Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mehidy Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain. Pakistan’s bowling attack will be led by Sufiyan Muqeem and Abrar Ahmed, who will be expected to make an impact in the crucial semi-final.