Four teams — Nepal, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Hong Kong — have advanced to the quarter-finals of the men’s cricket tournament at the Asian Games after rain disrupted the final group-stage matches.
Both group matches scheduled in Incheon on Saturday were affected by rain, with only one innings possible in the encounter between Nepal and Japan.
The match was reduced to 15 overs per side after rain interrupted play. Nepal managed to post 149 for four in their allotted 15 overs, but Japan did not get an opportunity to begin its chase as further rain prevented play from resuming.
With no result possible, Nepal secured three points and advanced to the next round, while Afghanistan also progressed with two points. Japan were eliminated from the competition.
In the other group-stage fixture between Malaysia and Oman, not a single delivery could be bowled because of persistent rain.
The abandoned match earned both sides one point, but Oman’s overall points tally was not enough to take them through to the quarter-finals. Malaysia advanced with three points, while Hong Kong secured the second qualification spot from the group with two points.
The results completed the list of teams advancing from the group stage to the quarter-finals.
The four qualifiers will now face the teams that had already secured direct entry into the last eight — Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The quarter-final stage will therefore feature a mix of the region’s established cricketing sides and teams that progressed through the group phase.
Rain played a decisive role in determining the final group standings, particularly in the matches involving Nepal and Malaysia, where limited or no play was possible.
The Asian Games cricket competition is being played in the T20 format, with teams competing for medals as part of the multi-sport event.
The quarter-finals are expected to provide a series of high-profile encounters as the four directly qualified teams join the sides that emerged from the group stage.
