New Delhi: Young Indian cricketer Vaibhav Sooryavanshi attracted widespread attention after a respectful gesture towards International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah following India’s gold-medal victory over Pakistan in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026. The 15-year-old batter touched Shah’s feet during the post-match celebrations, with the moment quickly gaining attention on social media.
India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the final on Saturday to successfully defend its Asian Games cricket gold medal. The victory completed a memorable campaign for the Indian cricket teams, with the women’s side also retaining the gold medal earlier in the competition.
Sooryavanshi’s gesture draws attention
After the final, Jay Shah joined the Indian players to congratulate them on their victory. During the post-match interaction, Sooryavanshi approached Shah and touched his feet as a mark of respect.
The gesture, which is traditionally associated with showing respect to elders and senior figures in Indian culture, was captured on video and circulated widely on social media. The brief interaction stood out amid the celebrations following India’s victory.
Sooryavanshi, who is only 15, was part of the Indian squad that defeated Pakistan in the high-profile final. His gesture towards Shah quickly became a talking point among cricket followers, with several social media users sharing the video and commenting on the young player’s conduct.
The viral discussion has largely centred on the cultural significance of the gesture and Sooryavanshi’s respectful approach during a moment of celebration.
India beat Pakistan to retain Asian Games gold
The respectful moment came shortly after India produced a strong performance to defeat Pakistan in the final at Nisshin.
Batting first, India posted 211/6 in 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma provided the major impetus at the top of the order, scoring 61 runs from just 28 deliveries. Tilak Varma also played a crucial role, remaining unbeaten on 51 from 22 balls. Their contributions helped India set Pakistan a challenging target in the gold-medal match.
Pakistan, however, refused to give up easily. Hasan Nawaz produced an outstanding individual effort, scoring 96 runs from 51 balls and keeping his team’s hopes alive deep into the chase.
Despite Nawaz’s aggressive innings, Pakistan finished on 192/6 after 20 overs, falling 19 runs short of India’s total. The result gave India another Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket and added another chapter to the rivalry between the two sides.
Jay Shah congratulates Indian team
Jay Shah, who serves as ICC chairman and previously served as BCCI secretary, congratulated the Indian teams following their successful Asian Games campaigns.
Shah described the events in Nagoya and Japan as a proud new chapter in cricket’s history. He also thanked the participating nations, the Olympic Council of Asia, organisers and fans for their contribution to the tournament.
Shah also presented the gold medals to the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian men’s team after its victory over Pakistan.
India’s success was particularly significant as both its men’s and women’s teams defended their Asian Games cricket titles. The women’s team defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final, while the men’s side overcame Pakistan in a much closer contest.
A memorable moment after a major victory
For Sooryavanshi, the Asian Games campaign provided another important experience at the international level. At just 15, the youngster has already attracted considerable attention as one of India’s emerging cricket talents.
His gesture towards Shah came immediately after a major victory and offered a quieter moment amid the celebrations surrounding India’s gold medal. While the final itself was decided by performances with bat and ball, the post-match interaction became a separate talking point because of its cultural significance.
The moment also highlighted how sporting celebrations can produce memorable scenes beyond the result on the scoreboard. Sooryavanshi’s decision to show respect to Shah became the central focus of the viral video, with cricket fans discussing the gesture across social media.
India’s victory over Pakistan ensured that the men’s team successfully defended its Asian Games gold medal, while the combined success of the men’s and women’s teams underlined India’s strong showing in cricket at the 2026 Games.
For Sooryavanshi, meanwhile, the post-match gesture has added another memorable moment to an already significant Asian Games campaign.