Nisshin, Japan: India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in a thrilling men’s cricket final at the 2026 Asian Games on Saturday, October 3, successfully defending their gold medal in the competition.

Batting first after winning the toss, India posted 211/6 in 20 overs, powered by explosive half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma. Pakistan made a strong attempt at the chase but finished at 192/6, with Hasan Nawaz’s outstanding 96 off 51 balls keeping the contest alive until the final over.

The victory gave India their second consecutive Asian Games men’s cricket gold after their triumph at the 2023 Hangzhou Games. It also marked India’s 19th gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.

Abhishek Sharma provides explosive start

India’s innings got off to a rapid start through Abhishek Sharma, who smashed 61 off just 28 deliveries.

The left-hander attacked the Pakistan bowling from the outset, reaching his half-century in only 20 balls. His aggressive innings gave India the momentum they needed after Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed for 15.

Sooryavanshi had briefly provided an early burst, hitting two sixes before Saim Ayub dismissed him in the third over. Sanju Samson then fell for two, but Abhishek continued to attack.

His dismissal for 61 off 28 left India at 93/3, bringing Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer together.

Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube finish strongly

Pakistan managed to slow India’s scoring during the middle overs and picked up regular wickets. Ishan Kishan was dismissed for 20, followed by captain Shreyas Iyer for 21.

However, Tilak Varma changed the momentum during the closing stages.

Tilak remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes. Shivam Dube contributed 27 off 15 deliveries as the pair added 62 runs from 31 balls to take India beyond the 200-run mark.

Dube was dismissed from the first ball of the final over, but Tilak continued the assault to ensure India finished on 211/6.

The total was India’s highest in the tournament and gave Pakistan a challenging target of 212.

Hasan Nawaz keeps Pakistan in the hunt

Pakistan began their chase positively, with Sahibzada Farhan and Maaz Sadaqat providing an aggressive start.

Washington Sundar then dismissed Farhan for 10, while Axar Patel removed Usman Khan and Maaz Sadaqat in quick succession. Pakistan slipped to 39/3 before Hasan Nawaz and Saim Ayub began rebuilding the innings.

Nawaz produced a remarkable counter-attacking innings. He brought up his half-century from just 28 balls and continued to find boundaries as Pakistan attempted to stay within reach of India’s target.

Saim Ayub scored 29 before Shivam Dube broke the partnership, while Nawaz continued to carry Pakistan’s hopes.

India hold their nerve in final overs

With Pakistan requiring a substantial number of runs during the final five overs, India gradually tightened the pressure.

Nawaz continued attacking but eventually fell after scoring 96 off 51 balls. His dismissal significantly reduced Pakistan’s chances of completing the chase.

India’s bowling attack shared the workload, with Washington Sundar, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube taking two wickets each. Jasprit Bumrah also bowled an important late spell as Pakistan struggled to maintain the required scoring rate.

Pakistan eventually ended their 20 overs at 192/6, 19 runs short of India’s total.

India complete cricket gold-medal double

India’s victory means the country has won gold medals in both the men’s and women’s cricket competitions at the 2026 Asian Games.

The women’s team had earlier defeated Sri Lanka to claim gold, while the men’s team followed it by overcoming Pakistan in the final. Sri Lanka won the men’s bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh by 63 runs.

The men’s final also represented the first meeting between India and Pakistan in Asian Games cricket, adding another chapter to the sporting rivalry.

For India, the 19-run victory ensured that the men’s cricket team retained the title it won in Hangzhou and added another gold medal to the country’s campaign in Aichi-Nagoya.