India successfully won the Asian Games men’s cricket gold medal on Saturday, defeating Pakistan by 19 runs in an intense final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin. The reigning champions, after being put in that position by opponents Pakistan, scored 211/6, then limited Pakistan to 192/6 in 20 overs. The Pakistan chase was kept alive deep into the innings by Hasan Nawaz, who scored 96 off 51 balls, but India had enough in the bank to see the game through. The win also secured India their 19th gold medal of the Asian Games 2026 and a cricket gold medal double, after their women's team retained their title.

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Asian Games 2026: Abhishek Sharma Gives India Fast Start

Indian captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and elected to bat first on a pitch that was eager to help the bowlers. The move was a positive one as India looked to pace Pakistan under pressure straight away. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit 2 sixes in 9 balls before getting out for 15. Abhishek Sharma took over the charge of the powerplay, started hitting boundaries regularly and put pressure on the Pakistan bowling attack. This left-hander raced to a half-century before eventually settling for 61 runs from 28 balls. He hit three fours and seven sixes, which meant that India finally had the fast start they needed from the top order.

Pakistan fought back after Abhishek’s dismissal. Sanju Samson scored only 2, and Ishan Kishan was dismissed for 20. Right after 2 wickets, Iyer was introduced and put on 21 off 24 balls, but India got the impression that they had lost some of their previous momentum.

Asian Games 2026: Tilak Varma Changes The Final Overs

Tilak Varma has made a strong finish and delivered a strong chase. The vice-captain made 51 runs from 22 balls, hitting three fours & four sixes - A huge strike rate of 230+ that put Pakistan under pressure at a crucial stage of the final. Shivam Dube also played an important role, scoring 27 from 15 balls. The pair helped India add valuable runs at the death, taking the team beyond the 200-run mark for the first time in the final.

India finished on 211/6 from their 20 overs, leaving Pakistan with a target of 212. Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets each for Pakistan, but India’s late acceleration had already changed the equation.

Asian Games 2026: Hasan Nawaz Keeps Pakistan In The Game

Pakistan’s chase did not begin smoothly. India’s bowlers made early inroads, and Pakistan slipped to 39/3 in the seventh over. Hasan Nawaz then gave Pakistan a genuine chance. The right-hander attacked the Indian bowlers and built an 87-run partnership with Saim Ayub. Nawaz reached his half-century from 28 balls and continued to take risks as the required run rate climbed.

Ayub contributed 29 from 22 balls, while Maaz Sadaqat added 23. Nawaz, however, remained the main threat and carried the chase into the final stages. India also had a difficult spell in the middle overs, but the bowlers recovered when the pressure increased. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube finished with two wickets apiece.

Asian Games 2026: Bumrah's Over Gives India Control

Pakistan needed 44 runs from the final two overs when India turned to Jasprit Bumrah for a crucial spell. Bumrah conceded only 11 runs in the 19th over, leaving Pakistan requiring 33 from the final six deliveries. The equation had moved beyond Pakistan’s reach, although Nawaz continued fighting until the final ball.

Nawaz was eventually dismissed for 96 from 51 balls, ending one of the most determined individual efforts of the match. His innings contained five fours and seven sixes, but Pakistan finished on 192/6. India therefore secured a 19-run victory and retained the men’s Asian Games cricket gold medal.

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Asian Games 2026: India Complete Cricket Gold Double

The victory gave India back-to-back men’s cricket gold medals at the Asian Games. India had previously won the men’s title at Hangzhou in 2023, and the team repeated that success in Nisshin. The result also completed India’s cricket gold-medal double at the 2026 Games. The women’s team had already defended its title earlier in the competition. India’s win against Pakistan was also their seventh consecutive T20I victory over their neighbours since 2021, taking their overall record in 18 T20I meetings since 2007 to 15 wins.

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