Bangladesh face Pakistan in Asian Games Semi-final today

Bangladesh will face Pakistan in the men's cricket semi-final of the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, with rain having denied both teams a competitive quarter-final before their last-four meeting.

The match is scheduled to start at 6:00am Bangladesh time at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The winner will advance to the gold-medal match on October 3, while the losing side will play for bronze.

Bangladesh reached the semi-finals after their quarter-final against Malaysia was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of rain. Pakistan advanced in the same manner after their quarter-final against Hong Kong was also washed out.

The back-to-back washouts mean neither side has played a knockout match in the tournament. Thursday's contest will therefore be their first opportunity to test themselves against another semi-finalist on the field.

Bangladesh will be led by Litton Das after Najmul Hossain Shanto was ruled out of the Asian Games following an illness. Shanto had developed a persistent fever after arriving in Nagoya and was subsequently diagnosed with an infection.

Litton will have several experienced players around him, including Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman and Hasan Mahmud.

Pakistan, led by Sahibzada Farhan, also have a strong group of T20 players, including Saim Ayub, Haider Ali, Hasan Nawaz and Usman Khan. Their route to the semi-finals was similarly shaped by the weather.

The lack of competitive action before the semi-final leaves both teams facing a different challenge from a normal knockout match. Neither side has had the chance to build momentum through a quarter-final or assess conditions under pressure before Thursday's contest.

Weather could again become a factor, having already disrupted the entire men's quarter-final round. Bangladesh and Pakistan will therefore be hoping for a clear window at Korogi Sports Park when they meet for a place in the final.

For Bangladesh, the immediate objective is to make the most of the opportunity created by the washout and secure a place in the gold-medal match.