Rain Threat in Nisshin: What Happens If India Vs Afghanistan Asian Games Quarter-Final Gets Washed Out? Explained

India head into their Asian Games men's cricket quarter-final against Afghanistan on Monday, September 28 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, with rain threatening the fixture.

What Is The Weather Forecast For India Vs Afghanistan Match?

Accuweather’s Monday daytime forecast — when matches are played — calls for a 91% chance of rain and a 22% chance of thunderstorms. The Tuesday outlook is similar, with an 89% chance of rain and an 18% chance of thundershowers. That keeps the focus on conditions as much as on the contest itself.

Conditions have already disrupted play at the venue, including a group-stage washout involving Nepal and Japan. As things stand, the forecast looks better for cricket on Thursday, when the semi-finals are due, and on Saturday, when the medal playoffs are scheduled.

What If Rain Play Spoilsport?

In case of rain, officials will first try to get a game in. If conditions allow, they will look to stage a reduced-overs match rather than abandon the quarter-final immediately.

In that scenario, the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method will be used in a shortened game. India's recent practice T20 against Japan was another weather-affected outing.

If heavy rain or storm conditions make play impossible, the tournament moves to its fallback rule. In a complete washout, when no result can be produced on the field, advancement is decided by team seedings.

Why Does India Benefit?

India hold the advantage here. They enter the knockout stage directly as the top-seeded side, which matters if the weather wipes out the match completely.

That means a total washout would send the Men in Blue into the semi-finals because of their higher seed. The same rule handed India gold in the 2023 Hangzhou final against Afghanistan after rain stopped play with Afghanistan on 112 for five.

What Weather Follows?

The wider knockout schedule currently looks less vulnerable. The forecast is expected to be friendlier for cricket on Thursday, when the semi-finals are due.

Saturday also appears more promising. That is the day set aside for the medal playoffs and the present outlook suggests better conditions than those forecast for the quarter-final window.

For now, that leaves Monday's India-Afghanistan game as the main weather watch. If rain eases, officials can try to force a shortened contest. If it does not, seeding could decide who goes through.