India’s journey to the Asian Games semi‑finals was sealed not by a bat‑swing but by a downpour, as the quarter‑final with Afghanistan was abandoned before the first ball.
Under the tournament’s rules, the match was called off at 12:30 pm after 45 minutes of relentless drizzle, giving India a walk‑in to the last four without a single wicket falling.
Iyer, who’s at the helm, kept his cool, saying, “We’re all ready for the next challenge, rain or shine,”—and Laxman, the stand‑in head coach, added that the squad has stayed focused amid the chaos.
The next test will be against the winner of the Sri Lanka‑vs‑ Nepal match, a game that could set the tone for India’s pursuit of back‑to‑back gold.
Meanwhile, Pakistan also advanced on the back of a similar washout, meaning India’s semi‑final opponent will be a team that also dodged the rain.