Last Updated on 39 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the men’s cricket final at the 2026 Asian Games at Korogi Sports Park to claim their second successive Gold Medal in the competition.
Abhishek Sharma gave India a strong start with a quick fifty, while Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube made key contributions at the end to help India reach 211. Pakistan fought back with a brilliant 96 from Hasan Nawaz, but the Indian bowlers kept their cool to seal the win.
India win Gold Medal: Batting Power Makes a Difference against Pakistan
India’s decision to bat first was justified as they scored 81 runs in the powerplay, putting Pakistan under pressure immediately on a surface that assisted spinners. Abhishek Sharma came into the act with two sixes as India plundered 24 runs in the second over with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi taking on Saad Masood’s leg spin with two sixes.
However, Sooryavanshi departed after a reverse hit to the wicketkeeper off Saim Ayub, but Abhishek continued with his aggressive approach. The left-hander reached his half-century in just 20 balls, taking advantage of the loose deliveries and putting the Pakistani bowlers under pressure.
Sanju Samson was unable to make a big contribution, while Abhishek was dismissed by Arafat Minhas after the opener was stumped by the wicketkeeper. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan tried to steady the ship but the Pakistan spinners got into their rhythm and kept the run rate in check. India had a period of 34 balls without a boundary and both batters departed.
In the 17th over, Tilak Varma finally broke the jinx and gave India the momentum it needed. The late assault also saw Shivam Dube coming to the crease, hitting boundaries, and clearing the ropes in the direction of the Pakistani bowlers.
The pair raised the scoring rate considerably, with 23 runs coming off the 19th over. Dube was dismissed early in the final over, but Tilak continued his onslaught against Ahmed Daniyal, hitting two sixes to complete a 21-ball half-century and take India beyond the 200-run mark. Pakistan dropped a catch off the last ball that allowed India to finish with 211 on the board.
Hasan Nawaz’s strong innings of 96 kept Pakistan in the chase despite the difficult target. However, India held their nerve in the dying moments and didn’t allow Pakistan to complete the chase and bagged yet another gold medal at the Asian Games.
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