Afghanistan Game Abandoned: How India Still Made It to the Semi-Finals
The quarter-final match between India and Afghanistan at the Asian Games, scheduled for Monday, has been cancelled. Despite the cancellation, the Indian team has secured its place in the semi-finals. Not a single cricket match could take place at the Asian Games on September 28, as the earlier match between Pakistan and Hong Kong was also called off due to rain.
Is there a rule in cricket under which a team can be declared the winner without a single ball being bowled? Like Hong Kong, Afghanistan also missed the chance to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Find out here which rule enabled Team India to reach the semi-finals without even stepping onto the field.
How did India reach the semi-finals?
According to the Asian Games rules, the team with the higher ranking is declared the winner. Since India is the world's number-1 T20 team and Afghanistan is ranked 10th, India secured a spot in the semi-finals based on its superior ranking, while Afghanistan was eliminated from the Asian Games.
This ranking/seeding system was determined before the tournament began. The six lowest-ranked teams had to go through the group stage to reach the quarter-finals, whereas the top four ranked teams—India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh—received direct entry into the quarter-finals.
Did Pakistan secure a similar victory?
The quarter-final match between Pakistan and Hong Kong was scheduled for today, September 28. In that match too, not a single ball could be bowled due to rain. Pakistan also secured a place in the semi-finals based on its higher ranking. Pakistan is ranked sixth in the World T20 rankings, while Hong Kong is ranked 24th. So far, India and Pakistan have confirmed their spots in the semi-finals.
