Key Takeaways
- Sri Lanka and Bangladesh advanced to the Asiad cricket semi-finals.
- Matches against India and Pakistan were postponed due to heavy rain.
- Organisers are working to prepare the field for Thursday's matches.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have secured their spots in the semi-finals of the men’s cricket competition at the Asian Games, after rain washed out their quarter-final matches. The matches against Nepal and Malaysia, respectively, were abandoned due to the weather conditions.
The Sri Lankan team will face India in the semi-finals, while Bangladesh will play Pakistan. Both matches are scheduled for Thursday, with the field at Korogi Athletic Park needing urgent preparation.
Jarrad Shearer, in charge of the cricket tournament, explained, 'Cricket, like baseball, you can’t play it in the rain.' He added that the organisers are now working to dry the field, using a variety of tools and hoping for better weather conditions.
Heavy rain has been a persistent issue in the host city of Nagoya and Aichi prefecture, but the forecast for Wednesday is more promising. Shearer stated, 'Come tomorrow morning, it will be all hands on deck to dry up the areas that aren’t under the covers.'
With the sun expected to shine and temperatures reaching 32 degrees Celsius, the organisers are optimistic about the field drying out in time for the matches.
Pakistan and India, the reigning champions, also secured their semi-final spots after rain washed out their matches against Hong Kong and Afghanistan on Monday.
Shearer further elaborated, 'We’ve got some soppers, we’ve got some squeegees, some big old brooms, we’ve got sponges. Plus it’s supposed to be sunny and 32C, so with any luck we’ll soak up as much water as we can in the morning and the sun will do its work in the afternoon.'
The matches against India and Pakistan are crucial for both teams, with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh looking to make the most of their semi-final opportunities.
Cricket, like baseball, you can’t play it in the rain.
Jarrad Shearer, In charge of the cricket tournament
Come tomorrow morning, it will be all hands on deck to dry up the areas that aren’t under the covers.
Jarrad Shearer, In charge of the cricket tournament
