Stories
Asian Games Cricket Flop: No Covers, No Reserve Day, Medals Without Playing
N
News18•30-09-2026, 14:50
Asian Games Cricket Flop: No Covers, No Reserve Day, Medals Without Playing
- •Cricket at the Asian Games was a dismal failure again, with matches canceled due to weather and lack of facilities.
- •Men's quarter-finals were canceled, allowing India and Pakistan to advance to semi-finals without playing, based on ICC T20 rankings.
- •The women's team won all three matches, securing India's first gold medal, defeating Japan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.
- •The competition lacks a reserve day; in canceled knockout matches, the higher-ranked team is declared the winner.
- •Cricket's relationship with multi-sport platforms has been half-hearted, featuring for the fourth time at the Asian Games.
Key Questions Answered
India advanced directly to the semi-finals after their quarter-final match against Afghanistan was washed out by rain without a ball being bowled, winning on the basis of their higher ICC T20 ranking.
Under Asian Games cricket playing conditions, if a knockout match is abandoned due to rain, the team with the higher ICC T20 ranking is declared the winner to advance.
Cricket has been featured four times at the Asian Games, specifically in the 2010, 2014, 2023, and current 2026 editions.
