India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the gold medal match.
Indian men’s cricket team successfully defended its gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, defeating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final match at the Karogi Sports Park in Nisshin on Saturday (October 3).
Opting to bat first, the Shreyas Iyer-led Indian squad posted a commanding total of 211/6. Opener Abhishek Sharma blasted 61 runs off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma provided late-innings fireworks with a blistering 51* off just 22 deliveries.
Chasing 212, the Men in Green were restricted to 192/6. Pakistan's Hasan Nawaz kept his team in the hunt with a valiant, lone-hand knock of 96 off 51 balls, but fell to Shivam Dube on the final delivery of the match. Indian spinners Axar Patel and Washington Sundar choked the runs in the middle overs, both finishing with figures of 2-29.
Following the victory, former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Madan Lal highly praised the squad, stating that the landmark triumph paves a smooth path for upcoming Olympic exposure and significantly enhances the global reputation of Indian cricket.
"Cricket was included for the first time, and our team is certainly stronger than Pakistan's. It seemed likely we would win, though in T20 cricket, you never know who might come out on top. But it was a good match," Lal told ANI.
"Winning the Asian Games paves the way for Olympic participation, which is a massive achievement in itself, given the magnitude of the Olympics. The Olympics also greatly enhance the team's, in this case the Indian team's, reputation, as it is a global event featuring the very best teams from around the world," he added.
Madan Lal commended the squad's depth of experience, stating that they already know how to handle pressure, and advised them to simply stick to their current style of play to sustain their high level of performance.
"They should just keep playing the way they are currently playing. They possess a great deal of experience," he remarked.
This victory completed a historic double-gold podium finish for Indian cricket at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Games, closely following the Indian women's team's emphatic gold-medal victory over Sri Lanka.
(With ANI Inputs)