Rain Disrupts Preparations As India Face Sri Lanka In Asian Games Semifinal

India will finally begin their men's cricket campaign at the Asian Games when they face Sri Lanka in the semifinal tomorrow, with persistent rain having severely disrupted preparations and washed out the entire quarterfinal stage.

The Shreyas Iyer-led India advanced to the last four without playing a ball after their quarterfinal against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain. Sri Lanka also progressed after their match against Nepal was washed out. Pakistan and Bangladesh joined them in the semifinals after their respective quarterfinals were also abandoned. All four higher-seeded teams advanced on the basis of their ICC T20I rankings.

India have had limited outdoor preparation since arriving in Japan. The team has relied on indoor training, gym sessions and strategy meetings while waiting for the weather to improve. Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson said the players have remained mentally switched on and used the rain-affected period to discuss combinations and plans for the semifinal.

Samson also said India had not been able to properly assess the Korogi Sports Park pitch because of the persistent rain. With conditions improving on Wednesday, the team was expected to get an opportunity to train and inspect the surface ahead of the match.

The weather remains a major talking point. However, the latest forecast offers some encouragement, with clearer and warmer conditions expected during the match and only a low chance of rain, potentially allowing the teams to finally play a full game.

India are the defending Asian Games champions, having won gold in Hangzhou in 2023. They are also coming into the tournament with a full-strength T20I squad, while Sri Lanka have selected a comparatively inexperienced side.

If the semifinal is abandoned without a result, India will advance to the final because of their higher ICC ranking. Sri Lanka are ninth, while India are ranked first. The other semifinal will see Pakistan face Bangladesh, with Pakistan holding the higher ranking.

The India-Sri Lanka semifinal is scheduled for 2 pm local time today at Korogi Sports Park, which is 10 am IST. The men's gold-medal match is scheduled for October 3.