Sep 28, Kathmandu - Nepal’s Asian Games cricket quarterfinal against Sri Lanka is scheduled for Tuesday, but persistent rain has cast serious doubt over whether the match will be played.

Rain has affected Nagoya since Saturday, forcing Nepal’s group-stage match against Japan to be abandoned. Nepal nevertheless advanced as group winners after defeating Afghanistan by five wickets in its previous match.

Two quarterfinals scheduled for Monday were called off without a ball being bowled. Pakistan and India advanced to the semifinals over Hong Kong and Afghanistan, respectively, because they held higher world rankings.

Nepal is due to face Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh is scheduled to play Malaysia in the remaining quarterfinals. However, the forecast offers little hope for Nepal’s match. The ground reportedly lacks an adequate drainage system and full covers, making it difficult to dry the waterlogged field.

Nepal coach Stuart Law said the team could do little about the weather. “The ground staff are doing everything they can with their knowledge and ability to make the ground playable,” he told Kantipur. “But if the rain continues like it has over the last two days, unfortunately, the situation doesn’t look good. We can’t think about it too much.”

Law also expressed frustration with the rule that sends the higher-ranked team through when rain prevents a result, while acknowledging that it is the regulation. He noted that Associate teams often have to overcome difficult qualification pathways to reach major tournaments, and that their players gain considerable experience through that struggle.

Nepal previously faced Sri Lanka at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, losing by two wickets. The teams’ 2024 T20 World Cup match in Florida was also abandoned without a ball being bowled.