Bangladesh have advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games men’s cricket tournament without playing their quarter-final, after persistent rain forced the scheduled match against Malaysia to be abandoned.
Litton Das and his team were due to take on Malaysia at 11am Bangladesh time on Monday, 29 September. However, with the playing conditions remaining unsuitable, the match was cancelled around three and a half hours before the scheduled start. As Bangladesh were ranked higher than Malaysia, they progressed to the last four under the tournament’s ranking-based provisions.
Bangladesh team manager Nafees Iqbal said the Games authorities informed the team in the morning that the match would not go ahead. The players therefore did not need to travel to the stadium.
The cancellation was part of a wider disruption caused by heavy rain. Two quarter-finals scheduled for the previous day had already been called off because of the weather. On Monday morning, the quarter-final between Nepal and Sri Lanka was also abandoned as the condition of the ground deteriorated.
With several matches affected in succession, there was little scope to stage Bangladesh’s fixture. The decision was taken several hours before the scheduled start rather than waiting for conditions to improve, allowing the tournament to proceed with the remaining fixtures.
Bangladesh will now face Pakistan in the semi-final on 1 October. The match is scheduled to begin at 9am Bangladesh time. However, the weather remains a concern, with further rain potentially making it difficult for the fixture to take place as planned.
If the semi-final is also abandoned, Pakistan would progress on the basis of its higher ranking. Bangladesh would then miss out on a place in the final and would instead have to play for the bronze medal.
The weather has affected Bangladesh’s women’s team as well. Their quarter-final against China was abandoned because of rain, meaning Nigar Sultana Joty’s side also advanced directly to the semi-finals without taking the field.
As a result, both Bangladesh teams have reached the last four without completing their quarter-final matches. For the men, attention now shifts to the scheduled encounter with Pakistan, although the possibility of further weather disruption remains a key issue ahead of the semi-final.
