Daijiworld Media Network - Nagoya
Nagoya, Sep 30: India will face Sri Lanka in the men's Asian Games cricket semifinal on Thursday after six matches in the competition were abandoned due to persistent rain in Nisshin.
The remaining four matches will determine the medal positions, with India aiming to defend the gold medal they won at the 2023 Asian Games.
India have sent several of their leading players to Japan, including Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan, despite an ODI series against the West Indies taking place at home and the ODI World Cup scheduled for next year.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, have arrived with a relatively inexperienced squad. Captain Sahan Arachchige has played only one T20I, while Niroshan Dickwella and Ashen Bandara have not featured in the format since 2021 and 2023 respectively. Six other members of the 15-player squad have played fewer than 10 T20Is, while four are yet to make their international debuts.
Sri Lanka's recent T20I form has also been difficult, with the full-strength side failing to win a match since June and recording only one victory in their last 10 attempts.
India will also look to give Washington Sundar further game time after he returned to action in the Japan T20I last week following a two-month injury absence. He bowled two overs and took two wickets in his comeback match.
India had rested Bumrah for their one-off T20I against Japan, with Arshdeep Singh and Yash Thakur leading the pace attack and Ravi Bishnoi, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar handling the spin duties. The team management will now have to decide who makes way for Bumrah.
Another selection question is whether Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be included, although Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson are expected to retain their places.
India (possible): Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Yash Thakur/Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
Sri Lanka are expected to hand international debuts to some players and provide match exposure to several members of their inexperienced squad.
Sri Lanka (possible): Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Lasith Croospulle, Sahan Arachchige (capt), Nuwanidu Fernando, Ashen Bandara, Chamika Karunaratne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Wanuja Sahan, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth, Nuwan Thushara, Binura Fernando.
After heavy rain in Nisshin, sunshine returned on Wednesday. Thursday's forecast is for mainly sunny conditions, with temperatures expected to reach around 30 degrees Celsius and humidity around 60%.
If the match is washed out because of rain, India will advance to the final by virtue of being the higher-ranked side.
India have recorded 19 wins from 27 T20Is in 2026, while Sri Lanka have won five of their 18 matches. Dickwella made his T20I debut against India in 2016 and last faced them in December 2017. Bumrah, Washington Sundar and Shreyas Iyer were also part of India's squad during that series.