China's women’s cricket team was eliminated from the Asian Games without facing a ball due to weather-related delays, as persistent rainfall disrupted the quarter-final schedule at Korogi Athletic Park in Nagoya on September 17.
After a 12-year absence from the Games, China had been set to play Bangladesh in the morning session. However, continuous rain in the preceding days left the outfield waterlogged and unplayable, forcing the cancellation of the match. Under the tournament’s rules, Bangladesh advanced to the semi-finals based on their higher ranking.
Later in the day, the second quarter-final between Pakistan and Thailand was partially completed, with play reduced to an 11-over contest per side following a 90-minute delay as ground staff worked to dry the field. Thailand posted 91 runs for four wickets, led by wicketkeeper Nannapat Koncharoenkai’s unbeaten 49. Pakistan ultimately reached 92 for seven with two deliveries remaining, narrowly avoiding an upset.
Nagoya experienced record rainfall about a week prior, prompting the evacuation of some athletes from their accommodations and leaving parts of Korogi Park’s cricket outfield still damp. Alan Newington, the Australian coach of the Chinese women’s team, expressed disappointment at the missed opportunity but acknowledged the efforts of the grounds crew. “We knew it was going to be tough to get a game given the weather in the last week here and all the challenges there have been,” he said. “We’re grateful to the ground staff for trying their best, but we thought it was going to be tough to get a game. We were hoping the world could see the China women play for the first time in a big tournament. But we’ll reset and we’ll try again.”
The Asian Games officially open on September 18, with clear weather predicted for the remaining quarter-finals on Friday, which will feature Sri Lanka versus Malaysia and hosts Japan against India. However, concerns loom over the semi-finals and medal matches scheduled for Sunday and Tuesday, as a typhoon is forecast to approach the region.
The men’s cricket competition is set to begin with a preliminary round starting next Thursday. India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh will enter at the quarter-final stage. India’s squad boasts several players from their recent T20 World Cup victory, including promising 15-year-old batsman Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.