Nepal top Group A at Asian Games after rain washes out Japan match

Nepal, already in a strong position after beating Afghanistan, lost the toss and batted first on Saturday, reaching 150 in the rain-shortened 15-over match at Korogi Athletic Park. Rain then set in and Japan were unable to begin their innings, so the match was abandoned with the points shared, which was enough to send Nepal through as winners of Group A at the 20th Asian Games. The innings started badly for Nepal. Kushal Bhurtel was out for four in the third over, leaving the side 7/1 after 2.2 overs. Aasif Sheikh and Sundeep Jora then put on 50 for the second wicket from 38 balls before Aasif, who had been dropped earlier in his innings, fell for 21 from 33 balls. Nepal slipped to 84/4 after 9.6 overs. Sundeep and Lokesh Bam turned the innings around with a 50-run stand for the fifth wicket that took only 25 balls. Sundeep made 57 from 32 deliveries with five fours and three sixes, while Lokesh finished unbeaten on 52 from 22 balls, striking six sixes and one four. Japan dropped four catches in the field, and Reo Sakurano Thomas, Ibrahim Takahashi, Jake Kasuda-Narin and Declan Suzuki claimed one wicket apiece. Nepal had already beaten Afghanistan, a Test nation, by five wickets on Friday, while Japan lost their opening match to Afghanistan and are now eliminated. Nepal face Sri Lanka in the quarterfinal on 29 September, and Afghanistan meet India. Republica notes that India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the top four Asian teams in the ICC rankings, went straight into the quarterfinals.