New Delhi: India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs to clinch their second consecutive gold medal in the 2026 Asian Games men’s cricket event at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday, October 3. After posting 211/6 on a batting-friendly surface, India restricted Pakistan to 192/6 despite a brilliant knock from Hasan Nawaz.
The victory was built on explosive batting performance and disciplined bowling, as the Men in Blue overcame Pakistan’s late charge to secure the gold. India got off to a strong start after opting to bat first, reaching 81/2 in the powerplay. Abhishek Sharma played attacking shots from the start and scored a sensational 61 from just 28 balls with the help of seven maximums and three boundaries. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also contributed with a brisk 9-ball 15.
The Men in Blue briefly lost momentum in the middle overs, with Ishan Kishan scoring 20 and captain Shreyas Iyer amassing 21. Arafat Minhas led Pakistan’s bowling effort with figures of 2/25, while Abrar Ahmed and Saim Ayub also chipped in with wickets.
However, Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube batted well and transformed the innings at the death. They added 62 runs in just five overs, with Tilak smashing an unbeaten 51 from 22 balls and Dube also contributing 27 from 15. India scored 69 runs in the final four overs to finish on 211/6.
Hasan Nawaz shines but Pakistan settle for silver
Pakistan’s chase started cautiously, and the Indian bowlers quickly applied pressure. Washington Sundar removed Sahibzada Farhan for 12, while Axar Patel dismissed Usman Khan and later Maaz Sadaqat, leaving Pakistan reeling at 39/3 after the Powerplay.
Hasan Nawaz kept their gold medal hopes alive by smashing 96 from 51 balls, while Saim Ayub also made 29, briefly threatening to bring Pakistan back in the match. However, Shivam Dube broke the partnership by removing Ayub, and Washington Sundar then dismissed Abdul Samad.
Pakistan needed 50 runs from the final 15 balls, which was extremely difficult.
Saad Masood struck a maximum late in the innings, but the Indian bowlers stayed in control. With Pakistan failing to chase down the target, India secured a memorable win. The triumph took India’s medal tally to 81, including 19 gold, 26 silver and 36 bronze medals, placing the country fourth in the standings.
