Pakistan advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games Men's Cricket 2026 after their quarter-final against Hong Kong was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain. The first quarter-final was scheduled to be played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. However, continuous showers throughout the day made it impossible to start the match.

With no play possible, Pakistan progressed to the semi-finals because of their higher seeding and better position in the ICC T20I rankings. They will now face the winner of the fourth quarter-final between Bangladesh and Malaysia on Thursday.

Rain prevents Pakistan-Hong Kong quarter-final

The match was called off at the toss as heavy rain continued to affect conditions in Nisshin. There was no opportunity for either team to take the field, with a large portion of the ground remaining under covers as showers persisted at the venue.

The washout meant Pakistan did not need to play a single delivery to secure their place in the last four. Pakistan were among the four seeded teams that received direct entry into the quarter-finals. India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were the other three seeded sides.

Hong Kong, meanwhile, reached the quarter-finals after finishing second in Group B. They began their campaign with an eight-wicket victory over Malaysia before suffering a 41-run defeat against Oman.

Pakistan have dominated previous meetings

The abandoned match would have been the third T20I meeting between Pakistan and Hong Kong. Pakistan had won both of their previous encounters. They defeated Hong Kong during the 2022 Asia Cup and then secured another victory against them at the 2023 Asian Games.

Pakistan will now wait for the outcome of the Bangladesh-Malaysia quarter-final to discover their semi-final opponents. The semi-final is scheduled for Thursday.