29 September 2026 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have advanced to the men’s cricket semifinals at the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, after persistent rain forced their respective quarterfinal matches to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
Sri Lanka were scheduled to face Nepal, while Bangladesh were due to play Malaysia at Korogi Sports Park. However, continued rain left conditions unplayable and both matches were called off. Under the tournament rules, the higher-ranked teams progressed when the quarterfinals ended without a result.
Sri Lanka will now face defending champions India in the first semifinal, while Bangladesh will meet Pakistan in the other last-four clash. The semifinals are scheduled for October 1.
The repeated washouts have been a major setback for the tournament, with persistent rain already cancelling India’s and Pakistan’s quarterfinals a day earlier. Organisers are now working to prepare the Korogi Sports Park for the semifinals.
Bangladesh will also be without batter Najmul Hossain Shanto, who has been ruled out of the Asian Games after tests confirmed an infection following several days of fever.