Bangladesh have reached the semi-finals of the Asian Games men’s cricket competition without taking the field, after their quarter-final against Malaysia was abandoned because of persistent rain and an unplayable ground.
Litton Das and his team were scheduled to face Malaysia at 11am Bangladesh time on Monday, 29 September. However, the match was called off around three and a half hours before the scheduled start. With Bangladesh holding a higher ranking than Malaysia, the competition rules allowed them to progress to the last four without a ball being bowled.
Bangladesh team manager Nafees Iqbal confirmed that the players had been informed of the cancellation by the Games authorities in the morning. As a result, the team did not travel to the stadium for the fixture.
The decision came amid a wider disruption to the cricket programme caused by adverse weather. Two quarter-finals scheduled for the previous day were also washed out because of rain. Conditions remained poor on Monday morning, when the quarter-final between Nepal and Sri Lanka was also abandoned.
With several matches affected in quick succession, the condition of the playing surface deteriorated to the point where Bangladesh’s fixture was cancelled well before the scheduled start. The decision also highlighted the importance of the tournament’s ranking-based provisions when matches cannot be completed because of weather.
Bangladesh will now face Pakistan in the semi-final on 1 October, with the match scheduled to begin at 9am Bangladesh time. The encounter could prove crucial, particularly because further disruption from rain could affect the qualification process.
If the semi-final cannot be played because of adverse weather, Pakistan would advance on the basis of its higher ranking. In that situation, Bangladesh would have to compete for the bronze medal rather than progressing to the final.
The weather has also affected Bangladesh’s women’s cricket team. Their quarter-final against China was abandoned because of rain, allowing the side led by Nigar Sultana Joty to progress directly to the semi-finals.
Bangladesh therefore have both men’s and women’s teams in the last four, but neither side has been able to complete its quarter-final on the field. For the men, attention now turns to the scheduled semi-final against Pakistan, with the weather remaining a significant factor ahead of the match.