Nepal’s men’s cricket journey at the 2026 Asian Games ended on Tuesday when rain led to the cancellation of their quarter-final against Sri Lanka in Nagoya, Japan.
The much-anticipated match at Korogi Sports Park was completely washed out, with no balls bowled and no coin toss. As there was no extra day allocated for such crucial matches, Sri Lanka progressed to the semi-finals based on their superior ICC T20I ranking.
Sri Lanka held the ninth position in the ICC men’s T20I rankings, while Nepal was ranked 14th. Consequently, when their knockout clash was postponed due to inclement weather, tournament rules mandated that the higher-ranked team advance – thus, Sri Lanka moved on.
This marked the end of Nepal’s campaign, despite them not losing any match throughout the tournament.
Nepal topped Group A, having defeated Afghanistan by five wickets in their opening game. Their second match against the hosts, Japan, was interrupted by rain and finished without a result.
That match was shortened to 15 overs, during which Nepal scored 149 for four. However, just before Japan could begin their reply, rain returned, halting their chase.
The abandonment of the match against Sri Lanka was especially disappointing for Nepal, who were eager to carry their momentum into the semi-finals.
Sri Lanka is now preparing to face defending champions India in the semi-finals, while Pakistan will take on Bangladesh in the other.
The persistent rain disruptions have significantly affected the cricket tournament in Nagoya, causing many matches to be decided by regulations rather than actual play.
For Nepal, the Asian Games experience ends at the quarter-final stage. The team departs the tournament undefeated but missed the chance to compete in their crucial knockout