NISSHIN: Rain brought an abrupt end to the final Group A fixture of the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket competition, with the match between hosts Japan and Nepal ending in a washout at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
The result proved costly for Japan, who were eliminated from the competition after earning just one point from the abandoned fixture. Nepal and Afghanistan advanced to the quarterfinal stage.
Before the rain returned, Nepal’s batters made the most of the shortened 15-over contest, posting an imposing 149 runs after being asked to bat first. Half-centuries from Sundeep Jora and Lokesh Bam provided the foundation for Nepal’s strong total.
Nepal’s innings did not get off to the best of starts. Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for just four runs from 12 deliveries. Jora, however, immediately changed the tempo of the innings, hitting a six and a four in the fourth over before racing to 30 from only 16 balls.
Aasif Sheikh helped Nepal bring up the 50-run partnership with a six, but his innings was soon ended by Jake Kusuda-Nairn. Kushal Malla and Gulsan Jha also departed cheaply, both scoring two runs.
Jora continued to attack the Japanese bowling and eventually completed his half-century. At the other end, Bam launched his assault almost immediately.
Bam opened his account with a boundary before smashing consecutive sixes off Declan Suzuki-McComb. Once Jora reached his fifty, Bam took centre stage and produced a spectacular late-innings assault.
He struck two sixes off Charlie Hara-Hinze in the penultimate over and followed it up with another two sixes off Ibrahim Takahashi in the final over. Bam finished unbeaten on 52 from just 22 balls, taking Nepal to 149 at the end of the 15-over innings.
However, the rain returned soon after Nepal completed their innings. The officials were unable to restart the match, resulting in a washout.
The abandoned game handed Japan a single point but was not enough to keep the hosts alive in the competition. Nepal progressed to the quarterfinal stage, while Afghanistan also moved through.
Nepal to face Sri Lanka
Nepal, who finished their group campaign with three points, will take on Sri Lanka in the quarterfinal on Tuesday, September 29.
The other high-profile quarterfinal will see India face Afghanistan on Monday, September 28. The contest will have added significance as it is a repeat of the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games final.
With Japan eliminated on home soil, Nepal’s progress and the India-Afghanistan rematch now take centre stage as the Asian Games cricket competition moves into the knockout phase.
