Bangladesh will face Malaysia in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games cricket tournament after the final round of group fixtures concluded in washouts. Continuous rain in Pingfeng forced the cancellation of the decisive Group B match between Malaysia and Oman without a ball being bowled, allowing Malaysia to progress as group winners.

The points split from the abandoned fixture ensured Malaysia finished top of Group B with three points from two matches. Hong Kong claimed the runners-up spot with two points, while Oman were eliminated at the bottom of the group with a solitary point. Hong Kong’s second-place finish sets up a quarter-final encounter against Pakistan.

Severe weather also disrupted proceedings in Group A, where the fixture between Nepal and host nation Japan was called off due to persistent downpours. Consequently, Nepal advanced to the last eight alongside Afghanistan, while Japan exited the competition. Nepal will now meet Sri Lanka in their quarter-final tie, whilst Afghanistan face a formidable test against India.

The tournament’s top four seeded sides—India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan—earned direct entry into the quarter-finals based on their ICC T20 International rankings. The inclusion of cricket in the Asian Games reflects the sport’s expanding footprint across the continent, offering associate nations a valuable platform to compete against established Test-playing countries.

The quarter-final stage begins on Monday, opening with Pakistan taking on Hong Kong in the morning fixture. India will clash with Afghanistan later that afternoon. On Tuesday, Nepal face Sri Lanka in the early match, followed by Bangladesh’s fixture against Malaysia.

Historically, Bangladesh and Malaysia have met only once in international cricket—a dramatic quarter-final encounter at the 2023 Asian Games in China, where Bangladesh narrowly prevailed by two runs to reach the semi-finals.