IND vs AFG: Shreyas Iyer refuses to let rain cloud India's Asian Games challenge

Nagoya, India captain Shreyas Iyer said torrential rain, limited practice and an awkward build-up will not be excuses when his side faces Afghanistan in the Asian Games quarterfinal here on Monday, stressing that a professional team must be ready for whatever conditions come its way.

Nagoya has been battered by relentless rain over the last two days, severely disrupting India's preparations for the knockout stage. Their only recent match practice came against Japan in a rain-shortened game, which India won by just two runs in a five-over-a-side contest at the Sano International Cricket Ground.

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The narrow escape may have raised concerns, but Iyer was in no mood to dwell on circumstances.

"We cannot cite the reason of rain because we are a bunch of professionals. Such hurdles keep coming and mentally we have to be prepared irrespective of what the situation is going to be," Iyer said on Sunday.

"We got decent time for knocking and warm-up and we got some practice. Tomorrow we will try to adapt to the wicket quickly and see how the weather is. That is secondary. The primary thing is to come and play the match."

The Indian captain also praised the discipline he has seen around the Asian Games, saying the experience had offered the players a glimpse of a very different sporting environment.

Asked whether he liked the vibe in Nagoya, Iyer said: "The discipline I liked very much. People follow the instructions.

"We were in Tokyo, played a match against Japan and did not get too many practice sessions, so we explored the place a little bit. It was a good experience."

India come into the quarterfinal having recently beaten Afghanistan 3-0 in a T20I series, but Iyer was quick to dismiss any suggestion that his side could afford to take the Afghans lightly.

"Not just Afghanistan, even Japan gave us good competition the other day," he said. "The wicket here is not set as per a particular standard, so adaptation is very important. It will be challenging and difficult for every team."

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That ability to adapt could become particularly important in a tournament where the conditions and match rhythm have been repeatedly affected by rain. India's brief outing against Japan offered little room for comfort, with the contest reduced to a frantic five overs a side.

Iyer, however, believes the team has done what it can to stay prepared despite the weather.

"It's not just normal rain, it's a torrential downpour," he said. "But we were still able to maximise our warm-up and get the feel of the stadium, breathe fresh air and also, on the turf, even when it was raining, we did some knocking. The bowlers did some strides in the background. So we are trying to maximise the best we can."

For India, there is also the weight of expectation. The women's team has already secured gold, raising the anticipation around the men's campaign, but Iyer said that pressure was something the players should embrace rather than carry into the middle.

"The expectation always remains to finish at the top for India and that is good pressure," he said.

"When there are expectations, you want to deliver, but at the same time I think we should not think too much about the outcome. The standard we have set as a team, we should transcend that in every match."

With cricket's Olympic return adding another layer of significance to the Asian Games, Iyer also underlined the value of every opportunity to compete.

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"Every match is important because every match gives us practice," he said. "The way cricket is growing, competition is also increasing and it is good for cricket overall. The more opportunities we get to play matches, the better. So we will have to maintain good fitness and mindset."

And with Afghanistan standing between India and a place in the semifinals, Iyer's message was simple: forget the rain, forget the disrupted preparation and focus on the contest.