Rain forces washouts in Asian Games cricket quarterfinals
Heavy rain and soggy conditions in Nagoya force the abandonment of men's quarterfinals between Pakistan and Hong Kong, and India and Afghanistan.
India and Pakistan moved a step closer to meeting in the Asian Games cricket final after both men's quarterfinals were abandoned due to persistent rain and a soggy outfield in Nagoya.
Pakistan advanced first against Hong Kong without a ball being bowled, relying on tournament regulations that dictate the highest-seeded side progresses when play is impossible.
Hours later, with more rain lingering in the air, India secured their progression against Afghanistan under the exact same competition rule.
The washouts at Korogi Athletic Park denied spectators the opportunity to witness 15-year-old Indian batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in action, who previously topped the T20 Indian Premier League batting charts earlier this year.
Afghanistan's Mohammad Akram expressed disappointment over the weather interference. "We are here for the match but unfortunately it rained. The rain started yesterday, so hard luck for us. We would have been happy to play here with India -- our players are in form," he said.
"We played two matches here on this ground, so we know the condition very well. But unfortunately the rain has ruined everything," Akram added. "We saw the rain on our mobile phones. Everyone was sad."
Attention now turns to the remaining fixtures, with Sri Lanka scheduled to play Nepal and Bangladesh facing Malaysia on Tuesday, weather permitting.