Nagoya, September 28, 2026: Pakistan advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket competition after their quarter-final against Hong Kong, China, was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain at Korogi Sports Park on Monday.
The abandonment saw Pakistan progress to the last four by virtue of their higher ranking, while Hong Kong’s campaign at the Games came to an end.
The quarter-final was scheduled to begin at 5am Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with the toss at 4:30am, but persistent rain and unfavourable playing conditions forced officials to abandon the fixture before the scheduled start.
Pakistan, one of four teams to receive direct entry into the quarter-finals, will now await the outcome of the remaining quarter-final matches to learn their semi-final opponent.
The semi-finals are scheduled to be played at the same venue on Thursday.
India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were the other three teams to qualify directly for the quarter-finals as the highest-ranked sides.
Hong Kong reached the knockout stage after finishing second in Group B with one victory, which came against Oman.
Pakistan squad
Pakistan’s squad for the Asian Games comprises Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad (vice-captain), Abrar Ahmed, Ahmed Daniyal, Akif Javed, Ali Raza, Arafat Minhas, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Maaz Sadaqat, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Saad Masood, Saim Ayub, Sufyan Moqim and Usman Khan (wicketkeeper).
