India secured the gold medal in the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan.
India posted 211/6 in 20 overs after choosing to bat first. Pakistan fought back strongly through Hasan Nawaz, who scored 96 from 51 balls, but India's bowlers held their nerve to restrict Pakistan to 192/6.
India vs Pakistan Asian Games Final: Match Result
India: 211/6 in 20 overs
Pakistan: 192/6 in 20 overs
Result: India won by 19 runs
Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan
Date: 3 October 2026
Prize: India won the Asian Games men's cricket gold medal, with Pakistan taking silver.
Abhishek Sharma Gives India a Flying Start
India began the final aggressively after captain Shreyas Iyer elected to bat first. Abhishek Sharma provided the early momentum, scoring a rapid 61 from 28 balls.
Abhishek's innings included three fours and seven sixes and established the platform for India's 200-plus total.
Tilak Varma Finishes India's Innings in Style
After wickets fell through the middle overs, Tilak Varma produced the decisive late acceleration.
Tilak remained unbeaten on 51 from just 22 balls, including three fours and four sixes. Shivam Dube also added a valuable late cameo as India finished on 211/6.
Pakistan Fight Back Through Hasan Nawaz
Pakistan's chase did not begin smoothly as India created pressure with the new ball and spin through the powerplay.
Hasan Nawaz, however, launched a remarkable counterattack. He scored 96 from 51 balls, keeping Pakistan in contention deep into the second innings.
Saim Ayub also contributed 29, but Pakistan continued to lose wickets at crucial moments.
India Hold Their Nerve in the Final Overs
India's bowling attack maintained pressure during the closing overs. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar claimed two wickets each, while Shivam Dube also played an important role with the ball.
Jasprit Bumrah's penultimate over further tightened the equation, leaving Pakistan needing an extremely difficult 33 runs from the final over.
Hasan Nawaz continued fighting until the final delivery, but Pakistan eventually finished on 192/6, handing India a 19-run victory.
India Retain Asian Games Cricket Gold
The victory gave India a second successive gold medal in the men's cricket competition at the Asian Games.
Pakistan finished with the silver medal, while Sri Lanka secured bronze after defeating Bangladesh in the third-place playoff.
India's combination of aggressive batting from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, followed by disciplined bowling in the final overs, proved decisive in a closely fought final.
Key Performances
- Abhishek Sharma: 61 off 28 balls
- Tilak Varma: 51* off 22 balls
- Shivam Dube: 27 off 14 balls
- Hasan Nawaz: 96 off 51 balls
- Axar Patel: 2/29
- Washington Sundar: 2/29
- Shivam Dube: 2/33