Nisshin, Japan
Bangladesh’s women’s cricket team has reached the semi-finals of the Asian Games without playing a single ball. The T20 match between Bangladesh and China, scheduled for Thursday, was abandoned due to bad weather and a wet outfield.
The match was scheduled to be played at Karōji Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture. However, the condition of the ground was deemed unfit for play, and the match could not begin. The toss could not even take place.
Following the abandonment, Bangladesh advanced to the semi-finals based on its higher international ranking. Bangladesh’s women’s team is ranked 10th in the ICC T20 International rankings, while China is ranked 36th.
Under the Asian Games regulations, when a match cannot be played because of rain or an unplayable pitch, the higher-ranked team may be given an advantage in determining which side advances to the next round. Bangladesh benefited from this provision.
The outcome is particularly significant for Bangladesh, as the team did not need to take the field and win its quarter-final match to progress. China’s campaign, meanwhile, came to an end.
Bangladesh will now turn its attention to the semi-finals. Based on the tournament’s current permutations, Bangladesh could face India’s women’s team in the next round.
