NISSHIN — India defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games on Saturday to retain the gold medal they won at the previous edition.
Put into bat after Pakistan won the toss, India posted 211 for six in their allotted 20 overs, with Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma leading the scoring.
Abhishek smashed 61 off 28 balls, including three fours and seven sixes, while Varma remained unbeaten on 51 off 22 deliveries, hitting three fours and four sixes.
Shivam Dube added 27 off 15 balls, while Ishan Kishan scored 20 off 18 and captain Shreyas Iyer contributed 21.
India made a brisk start, reaching 81 for two in the powerplay. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi scored 15 off nine balls, including two sixes, before being dismissed, while Sanju Samson made two.
Arafat Minhas and Ahmed Daniyal took two wickets each for Pakistan, while Saim Ayub and Abrar Ahmed claimed one apiece.
Chasing 212, Pakistan finished at 192 for six in 20 overs despite Hasan Nawaz keeping the chase alive with a 96 off 51 balls.
Nawaz struck five fours and seven sixes, while Saim Ayub made 29 off 22 balls. The pair added 87 runs for the fourth wicket before Ayub was dismissed by Dube in the 15th over.
Pakistan had slipped to 39 for three before Nawaz and Ayub rebuilt the innings. Nawaz continued attacking in the closing stages, but India held on to secure the victory.
Axar Patel and Washington Sundar took two wickets each, while Dube also claimed two. Jasprit Bumrah completed his four-over spell for 33 runs.
Pakistan needed 33 runs from the final over but could manage only 192 for six, giving India a 19-run victory and the men’s cricket gold medal.
The result means India have successfully defended the men’s cricket title won at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which were held in 2023. India’s women’s team had also won the women’s cricket gold, completing a gold-medal double in the sport.
Earlier in the tournament, India advanced to the semifinals after their quarterfinal against Afghanistan was abandoned due to rain, before defeating Sri Lanka by 124 runs. Pakistan progressed after their quarterfinal against Hong Kong, China was washed out and subsequently beat Bangladesh by six wickets in a rain-reduced semifinal.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also congratulated the Indian men’s team on the victory. In a post on X, he described the result as a “smashing victory” and praised the team’s performance.
Final Score: India 211/6 (20 overs); Pakistan 192/6 (20 overs). India won by 19 runs.
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