India are Asian Games champions again. In a high-voltage India vs Pakistan Asian Games final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin on October 3, 2026, India defended their men’s cricket gold with a 19-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan, completing a golden double for Indian cricket at the Aichi-Nagoya Games after the women’s team had already claimed gold last month.
What happened in the India vs Pakistan Asian Games final? India posted 211 for 6 — the highest total of the Games — powered by blistering half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma (61 off 28 balls) and Tilak Varma (51 not out off 22). Pakistan fought back through Hasan Nawaz’s stunning 96 off 51 balls, but India’s spinners held their nerve to restrict them to 192 for 6 and seal a 19-run win.
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India captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bat first on a slow, grippy turner, backing his deep batting line-up to set a daunting target. The decision paid off spectacularly in the powerplay — and just about survived a late scare as Nawaz threatened to pull off one of the great final heists. For more cricket coverage, visit our Sports section.
India vs Pakistan Asian Games Final: How India Blazed to 211
The tone was set in the very first over. Pakistan opened with spin from both ends, a bold gambit on a turning track — and it unravelled immediately. Saad Masood was pulled from the attack after his first over disappeared for 24 runs, with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi launching him for two sixes before botching a reverse sweep against Saim Ayub and departing to a rocking-baby celebration send-off.
Then Abhishek Sharma took over. Ranked second in the world among T20 batters, the opener raced to a 20-ball half-century in a burst of breathtaking hitting — seven sixes and three fours in a 28-ball 61. It was far from chanceless: he survived a run-out chance and twice hit shots that landed agonisingly short of fielders in a single over. But the damage was done. When Arafat Minhas finally had him stumped in the eighth over, India had already seized complete control.
The sixes dried up after Abhishek’s dismissal, and Pakistan’s spinners dragged things back impressively — Minhas finished with 3 for 25 and Ahmed Daniyal took 2 for 43, including the wicket of Ishan Kishan bowled. India were 114 for 3 at the halfway mark, and a total around 180 looked par. Then Tilak Varma produced a finishing masterclass: 51 not out off just 22 balls, reaching his fifty in 21 deliveries and dragging India past 200 with a late surge. The final total of 211 for 6 was the highest of the entire Aichi-Nagoya Games — 15 sixes for India against Pakistan’s ten telling the story of the gulf in power-hitting pedigree.
Hasan Nawaz’s Lone Masterclass Nearly Spoils the Party
Chasing 212, Pakistan needed a fast start. They got the opposite. Jasprit Bumrah kept things extraordinarily tight up front, and spinner Axar Patel removed Usman Khan and Maaz Sadaqat (23) to leave Pakistan limping at 76 for 3 at the halfway stage. The contest looked done.
Hasan Nawaz had other ideas. The right-hander produced one of the great losing-final innings: 96 off 51 balls, with five fours and seven sixes, dragging a second-string Pakistan side almost single-handedly back into contention. With wickets falling around him — Saim Ayub made 29 before falling to Shivam Dube — Nawaz kept finding the boundary, and as the equation tightened, Indian nerves jangled. He fell to the very last ball of the match, nine short of what would have been a famous hundred, with Pakistan finishing on 192 for 6.
It was a knock that deserved to be on the winning side, and a reminder that in an India vs Pakistan Asian Games final, no total is ever truly safe until the final ball is bowled.
Axar, Washington and Dube: Spinners Seal India’s Gold
India’s victory was ultimately built on control through the middle overs. Axar Patel (2 for 29) and Washington Sundar (2 for 29) bowled with the discipline of seasoned campaigners, hitting their lengths relentlessly on a surface offering grip while the small outfield constantly threatened to punish any error. Between them, they removed four of Pakistan’s top six and never allowed the required rate to dip into comfortable territory for long.
Shivam Dube’s 2 for 33 proved equally vital, breaking the burgeoning stand by dismissing the dangerous Saim Ayub and later removing Nawaz’s support cast. The figures also revealed India’s one vulnerability in this India vs Pakistan Asian Games final: packed with all-rounders, the side was arguably a frontline bowler light, with Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma and Dube conceding a combined 100 runs in eight overs. On this occasion, the batting cushion of 211 was enough to cover it.
India vs Pakistan Asian Games Final: Scorecard Summary
- India 211/6 (20 overs): Abhishek Sharma 61 (28), Tilak Varma 51* (22); Arafat Minhas 3-25, Ahmed Daniyal 2-43
- Pakistan 192/6 (20 overs): Hasan Nawaz 96 (51), Saim Ayub 29 (22); Axar Patel 2-29, Washington Sundar 2-29, Shivam Dube 2-33
- Result: India won by 19 runs — Asian Games men’s cricket gold medal
- Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, October 3, 2026
- Toss: India (captain Shreyas Iyer) chose to bat
The result also extended a notable statistical edge: India now hold a 4–3 advantage over Pakistan in finals of major multi-team tournaments (five or more teams) across formats — a rivalry ledger that grows more lopsided with every summit clash, as detailed in ESPNcricinfo’s match report.
Golden Double: What This India vs Pakistan Asian Games Final Win Means
Beyond the gold medal itself, victory in this India vs Pakistan Asian Games final completed a rare golden double for Indian cricket at these Games. India’s women had already won gold on September 22, thrashing Sri Lanka by 147 runs in their final. For both the men’s and women’s teams to stand atop the podium at the same Asian Games is a statement about the depth of Indian cricket’s talent pipeline — from the senior stars to a 15-year-old like Sooryavanshi being trusted on the biggest stage.
“India completed a golden double in the Asian Games cricket on Saturday after the men’s team beat arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in the final in Nisshin.”
Reuters
There was further context to the day’s cricket: earlier, Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by 63 runs to claim the bronze medal. But the final was the main event, and it delivered everything this fixture promises — audacious hitting, a near-miracle chase, and a finish that stayed alive until the final delivery. The Twenty20 world champions have now added Asian Games gold to their cabinet, and with a young core of Abhishek, Tilak and Sooryavanshi firing, the future of India’s T20 setup looks in formidable hands.
For Pakistan, there is pride in the fight — a second-string side pushed a full-strength India to the final ball — but also the familiar sting of falling short in another India vs Pakistan Asian Games final against their greatest rivals. As Reuters noted, silver was the reward for Nawaz’s heroics; gold, once again, went to India. Keep following our latest sports coverage for more from the Asian Games.
Frequently Asked Questions: India vs Pakistan Asian Games Final
- Who won the India vs Pakistan Asian Games final 2026? India won the India vs Pakistan Asian Games final on October 3, 2026, beating Pakistan by 19 runs (211/6 vs 192/6) at Nisshin to win the men’s cricket gold medal.
- Who were the top scorers in the Asian Games final? Abhishek Sharma top-scored for India with 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma made 51 not out off 22. For Pakistan, Hasan Nawaz played a stunning 96 off 51 balls in a losing cause.
- Did India complete a golden double at the Asian Games 2026? Yes. India’s men beat Pakistan in the final on October 3, while India’s women had already won gold on September 22 by beating Sri Lanka by 147 runs.
- Where was the India vs Pakistan Asian Games final played? The final was played at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, as part of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.
- What is India’s record vs Pakistan in major tournament finals? With this win, India hold a 4–3 advantage over Pakistan in finals of major tournaments featuring five or more teams, across formats.
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