The Asian Games men’s cricket quarterfinal between Pakistan and Hong Kong ended without a single ball being bowled.
The match’s cancellation did not automatically mean elimination.
What separated the two teams was not the day’s match performance but the international T20 rankings.
3-Line Summary
1. The Pakistan–Hong Kong match was canceled due to rain
2. Pakistan advanced to the semifinals because of its ranking advantage
3. Its opponent on October 1 has not yet been determined
Quarterfinal Canceled in Nisshin, Japan, Without Even a Toss
The match between Pakistan and Hong Kong was scheduled to take place on September 28 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. However, continued rain left the pitch and outfield unfit for cricket, and the match was canceled without even a toss taking place.
This was the Asian Games men’s cricket 1st quarterfinal. Hong Kong advanced to the knockout stage after finishing 2nd in Group B with 2 points. The basis for that result was an 8-wicket loss to Malaysia but a 41-run win over Oman. The Malaysia–Oman match in Group B was also canceled without a single ball being bowled, allowing Malaysia to finish 1st in the group with 3 points.
Why Pakistan Advanced Without Playing
Pakistan, along with India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, was classified among the top 4 ranked teams in the tournament and advanced directly to the quarterfinals. When the match against Hong Kong was canceled, the tournament designated Pakistan, which had the higher ICC T20I ranking, as the team advancing to the semifinals. Because there was no actual match result, this advancement was not a victory earned through Pakistan’s performance on the day but the result of a ranking criterion applied in advance.
The Pakistan national team trained for four days in Karachi before coming to Japan. Although it practiced the tournament environment and various match situations, the previous day’s training in Nisshin was also affected by overnight rain and a wet outfield. The first actual match of the main tournament could not be played because of the same weather problem encountered during training.
Led by Sahibzada Farhan, the Pakistan national team advanced to the semifinals without having played a match in this tournament. The squad includes Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, Haider Ali, and Mohammad Wasim Jr., among others, with Mike Hesson serving as head coach.
Winner of Bangladesh–Malaysia to Be the Next Opponent
Pakistan’s semifinal is scheduled for October 1. Its opponent will be the winner of the quarterfinal between Bangladesh and Malaysia. Therefore, Pakistan’s next opponent and whether it will advance to the final have not yet been determined.
The bronze-medal match and the final are scheduled for October 3. The possibility that India and Pakistan could meet in the gold-medal or bronze-medal match has also been reported, but that is only one possible scenario dependent on the results of the two teams’ subsequent matches. The facts confirmed in this Pakistan–Hong Kong match are that it was canceled due to rain and that Pakistan, with the ranking advantage, advanced to the semifinals.
References
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