India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win Asian Games cricket gold

Jugti· 2 min read
Abhishek Sharma batting for India
India opener Abhishek Sharma, whose 61 off 28 set up the gold-medal win against Pakistan. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

India defended its Asian Games men's cricket crown on Saturday, beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the gold-medal match at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, to add another chapter to the most watched rivalry in the sport.

Abhishek and Tilak fire India past 200

India won the toss and chose to bat first, and opener Abhishek Sharma gave them a blazing start with 61 from 28 balls, studded with seven sixes and three fours. His 24-ball half-century was India's fastest fifty against Pakistan in T20 cricket.

Pakistan's slow bowlers dragged the contest back through the middle overs. Arafat Minhas removed Abhishek before castling Ishan Kishan (20), and Abrar Ahmed had captain Shreyas Iyer caught for 21 as India slipped from 128 for 3 to 142 for 5.

Then Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube cut loose. The pair plundered 57 runs from the final three overs in a 62-run stand, with Tilak reaching a 21-ball half-century and finishing unbeaten on 51 from 22 balls. India closed at 211 for 6, leaving Pakistan needing 212 for gold.

Nawaz's 94 in vain as India's spinners hold firm

Pakistan's chase never truly took off. Jasprit Bumrah kept the powerplay tight, and the spin pair of Washington Sundar and Axar Patel — each finishing with two wickets — choked the scoring through the middle. Skipper Sahibzada Farhan fell for 10 and Pakistan were 39 for 2 after six overs.

Hasan Nawaz fought almost single-handedly, launching seven sixes in a valiant 94 from 51 balls, and kept Pakistan in the hunt until the death. But with the asking rate climbing past his reach, India closed out a 19-run win to retain the title it first won at Hangzhou in 2023.

Gold for India, again

India had stormed into the final with a 124-run demolition of Sri Lanka in the semi-final, while Pakistan beat Bangladesh by six wickets to reach its first Asian Games men's final. On the day, though, the defending champions' depth — from Abhishek's onslaught to Tilak's finish and the spinners' control — proved decisive in front of a packed crowd at Nisshin.

Key facts

  • India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games men's cricket final at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, on 3 October 2026.
  • India posted 211 for 6 after choosing to bat first; Pakistan finished at 192 for 6 in their 20 overs.
  • Abhishek Sharma hit 61 off 28 balls and Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22.
  • Hasan Nawaz top-scored for Pakistan with 94 off 51 balls in a losing cause.
  • The win retains the title India first won at the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games.