Nisshin’s skies had the final say on Tuesday, and the result was a soggy day for cricket lovers. Bangladesh’s quarter final against Malaysia never got underway, becoming the fourth game of this Asian Games men’s competition to fall victim to bad weather. Organisers pulled the plug roughly two hours ahead of the coin flip, and both squads received instructions to stay away from the ground altogether.
Because of their superior ranking heading into the event, Bangladesh advance without bowling or facing a single delivery. Their next assignment is a semi final meeting with Pakistan on October 1.
Earlier that morning, another contest met the same fate. Sri Lanka and Nepal were due to face off in a separate quarter final, but persistent showers forced officials to cancel it. Sri Lanka move forward on the same basis and will now square up against India in the last four.
Fans can take heart from the outlook, though. Forecasters expect calmer conditions for the semi finals on October 1 and the medal deciding day on October 3, which should allow the tournament to finish with proper cricket rather than paperwork.
For Bangladesh, the memories from previous campaigns are a mixed bag. Back in 2023, India ended their gold hopes in the semi final stage, yet the team bounced back to beat Pakistan in the bronze medal game. That result echoed 2014, when they also finished on the podium with a bronze. Their finest moment remains 2010, when they defeated Afghanistan in the title clash to claim gold.
Whether the Tigers can better their recent record remains to be seen, but they will surely hope for dry weather and a proper contest against a familiar rival. Sometimes progress comes without a fight, and this was one of those days. Now the real test begins, and Bangladesh must prove they deserve their place among the leading contenders.
