Cricket powerhouses India and Pakistan advanced to the Asian Games semifinals without taking the field after persistent rain forced the cancellation of their respective quarterfinal matches on Monday.

Defending champions India progressed to the next round at the expense of Afghanistan while Pakistan moved forward following the washout of their fixture against Hong Kong with both outcomes determined by the teams' higher world rankings.

Led by Shreyas Iyer and boasting fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah alongside 15-year-old batting prospect Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, India have yet to compete in an official fixture during the tournament though they registered a victory over Japan in a warm-up match last week.

India enter the competition as back-to-back T20 World Cup champions and home to the Indian Premier League, the world's most lucrative cricket league.

The Asian Games cricket event is being contested in the Twenty20 format, which is slated to feature at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

India will square off against either Sri Lanka or Nepal in the semifinals, while Pakistan are set to play either Bangladesh or Malaysia.

Having been seeded for the tournament, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka all gained direct entry into the quarterfinal phase.

With Inputs from UNB