India won the men's cricket gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan, on October 3, 2026. India made 211/6 in 20 overs after choosing to bat, and Pakistan finished on 192/6.
The win gives India a second Asian Games men's cricket title in a row. India also won the men's gold at the previous Games in Hangzhou.
How India built 211
Shreyas Iyer, captaining the side, chose to bat first. The openers set a fast pace: Abhishek Sharma hit 61 off 28 balls before he was stumped off Arafat Minhas, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made 15 off 9.
Pakistan pulled things back in the middle overs. Sanju Samson fell for 2, and Iyer (21 off 24) and Ishan Kishan (20 off 18) could not keep up the early speed.
The finish belonged to Tilak Varma, who scored an unbeaten 51 off 22 balls. Shivam Dube added 27 off 15 to take India past 200. Leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (1/29 in four overs) and Arafat Minhas (2/25 in three) were Pakistan's most economical bowlers.
Pakistan's chase
Pakistan needed close to 10.6 runs an over. Their top order did not last: captain Sahibzada Farhan (10) and Usman Khan (3) fell cheaply, and Maaz Sadaqat made 23.
Hasan Nawaz kept Pakistan in the game with 96 off 51 balls, with support from Saim Ayub (29). Dube removed both, having Nawaz caught by wicketkeeper Samson and Ayub caught by Washington Sundar, and the target stayed out of reach. Saad Masood's 12 not out off 5 balls came too late.
Scorecard summary
| India | Pakistan | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 211/6 (20 overs) | 192/6 (20 overs) |
| Top scorers | Abhishek Sharma 61 (28), Tilak Varma 51* (22), Shivam Dube 27 (15) | Hasan Nawaz 96 (51), Saim Ayub 29 (22), Maaz Sadaqat 23 (18) |
| Best bowling | Axar Patel 2/29, Washington Sundar 2/29, Shivam Dube 2/33 | Arafat Minhas 2/25, Ahmed Daniyal 2/43, Abrar Ahmed 1/29 |
Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless but conceded 33 in his four overs, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar each took two wickets for 29 runs.
Key points
- Result: India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win gold on October 3, 2026.
- Venue: Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, Japan.
- Top performers: Abhishek Sharma 61, Tilak Varma 51 not out; Axar Patel, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube two wickets each.
- Pakistan's best: Hasan Nawaz, 96 off 51 balls.
India's run to the final included a big semi-final win over Sri Lanka. Read our report on India reaching both the hockey and cricket finals at the Asian Games 2026, and on the women's 4x400m relay gold earlier in the Games.
What happens next
The cricket gold adds to India's medal tally on Day 14 of the Games. India's men's hockey team also plays for gold, against Malaysia, with a place at the LA 2028 Olympics on offer for the winner.
