India’s men’s cricket team successfully retained their Asian Games title on Saturday, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by 19 runs in a high-octane final at the Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The triumph ensures a complete sweep of the cricket discipline for India at this edition of the Games, following the women’s team’s gold-medal victory against Sri Lanka on 22 September.
Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Indian captain Shreyas Iyer saw his side establish early dominance through a blistering display from opener Abhishek Sharma. Sharma launched a ferocious assault on the Pakistani attack, smashing a 28-ball 61 studded with three boundaries and seven towering sixes. His explosive start laid a solid foundation in the powerplay, despite early setbacks at the other end where Vaibhav Suryavanshi contributed a quickfire 15 off nine balls and Sanju Samson fell for just two.
A brief mid-innings slowdown threatened to stall India’s momentum as Pakistani bowlers tightened their lines. Middle-order batters Ishan Kishan (20 off 18 balls) and Shreyas Iyer (21 off 24 balls) found boundaries hard to come by, allowing Pakistan to briefly regain control during the middle overs.
The final overs belonged entirely to India’s power-hitters. Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube accelerated dramatically in the closing stages to shift the pressure back onto the opposition. Dube struck a crucial 27 off 15 balls, including two fours and two sixes, before Varma delivered an undefeated masterclass. Varma raced to 51 off merely 22 deliveries, hitting three fours and four sixes to propel India to 211 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs—the highest team total registered in the cricket tournament at this year’s Games.
Chasing a formidable target of 212, Pakistan suffered early blows and tumbled to 39 for 3 inside the seventh over. A resilient 87-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz reignited Pakistani hopes. Ayub provided steady support with 29 off 22 balls, but it was Nawaz who spearheaded a breathtaking fightback.
The 24-year-old right-hander produced an extraordinary display of hitting, striking 96 off 51 balls featuring five boundaries and seven sixes. Nawaz carried the chase almost single-handedly until he was dismissed off the final ball of the innings, keeping Pakistan in contention until the closing moments. However, a steep required run rate and a lack of substantial contributions from the remaining batting lineup ultimately left Pakistan short at 192 for 6.
India’s bowling unit produced key breakthroughs under pressure. Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube took two wickets apiece, ensuring Pakistan remained just behind the required pace throughout the chase.
Geopolitical tensions between the two neighbours added an intense layer of drama to the contest. In a clear reflection of the frosty diplomatic relations that restrict the sides to meeting only at neutral venues in international events, the players abstained from the traditional pre-match handshakes.
In the end, India’s total proved insurmountable, securing back-to-back Asian Games gold medals in men’s cricket and consolidating their dominance on the continental stage. Pakistan took home the silver medal—marking their highest achievement in the competition—while Sri Lanka claimed the bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh by 63 runs in the third-place play-off earlier in the day.
