Guwahati: Today, India clinched the men’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 after defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan.
India captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and opted to bat first, with opener Abhishek Sharma providing a strong start. The left-hander scored 61 runs, hitting three fours and seven sixes to lay the foundation for a big total.
Iyer contributed 21 runs, while Ishan Kishan added 20 as India reached 211/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Tilak Varma provided the finishing flourish, remaining unbeaten on 51 off just 22 deliveries.
Pakistan attempted to chase down the target but lost wickets at regular intervals, allowing India to maintain control during the latter stages of the match.
Shivam Dube bowled the final over and dismissed Hasan Nawaz with the last delivery, preventing the Pakistan batter from completing a century.
With the victory, India successfully defended the men’s cricket gold medal they won at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, securing their second consecutive title in the competition.