Asian Games 2026: India and Sri Lanka face each other in the 2026 Asian Games cricket on Thursday. There is only one big question surrounding this high-voltage semi-final to be held in Nagoya, will the rain hinder the match again? The match is scheduled to start at 10:30 AM IST. The toss will be half an hour before that. Both the teams will want to take the field without any hurdles.
There was not even a single ball in the quarter finals
Rain has already become a major concern in the quarter-finals of the Asian Games. India-Afghanistan, Pakistan-Hong Kong, Sri Lanka-Nepal and Bangladesh-Malaysia — none of the four quarter-finals saw a ball being played. In the end, the semi-final ticket is confirmed based on the ranking of the team.
Heavy rain in Nagoya
Nagoya has been experiencing inclement weather for the past few days. As a result, there are also concerns about the field conditions before the semi-finals. Even if the sky is overcast, it is not enough that it rains, but how quickly the outfield can be made playable due to continuous rain can also become important.
What does the weather forecast say on the day of the match?
According to AccuWeather’s forecast, there is no chance of rain in Nagoya on September 30. The sky, however, may remain cloudy. Temperatures are likely to hover around 20 degrees Celsius. In other words, as there is no risk of rain during the match, it is a relief for the cricket lovers. However, the effect of the previous few days of rain on the field will remain to be seen.
Will cricket be subjected to rain again?
As there was not even a ball in the quarter finals, the India-Sri Lanka semi-final was naturally apprehensive. Although the forecast is comforting for now, the weather conditions are not the last word on cricket matches. The field’s outfield, drainage system and weather changes during the match can also play an important role.
What happens if the match is abandoned?
If the India-Sri Lanka semi-final is eventually abandoned due to rain, there will be no other match to decide the direct result. In Asian Games Cricket, the higher ranked team based on the ICC T20I Team Ranking will be promoted in the semi-finals. That is, even if there is no match, a final team will be determined.
India leads the ranking
India are ahead of Sri Lanka in the ICC T20I Team Rankings. As a result, if the semi-final is abandoned due to rain, India will get the ranking advantage and they will go to the final. India got the advantage against Afghanistan in the quarter-finals with the same rules. As a result, just as the weather conditions are important for the Indian team in Thursday’s match, this ranking rule can also play a big role.